Anti-IL-23 antibodies, compositions, methods and uses

ABSTRACT

An anti-IL-23 antibody, including isolated nucleic acids that encode at least one anti-IL-23 antibody, vectors, host cells, transgenic animals or plants, and methods of making and using thereof have applications in diagnostic and/or therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.16/358,775, filed 20 Mar. 2019, currently allowed, which is a divisionalof U.S. application Ser. No. 15/626,697, filed 19 Jun. 2017, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,272,152, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.15/337,512, filed 28 Oct. 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,714,287, which is adivisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/812,375, filed 29 Jul. 2015,now U.S. Pat. No. 9,505,837, which is a divisional of U.S. applicationSer. No. 14/068,670, filed 31 Oct. 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,127,058,which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/587,370, filed 16Aug. 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,574,579, which is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/231,537, filed 13 Sep. 2011, now abandoned,which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/872,359, filed 31Aug. 2010, now abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.No. 12/370,872, filed 13 Feb. 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,807,414, whichis a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/479,464, filed 30 Jun.2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,391, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/695,831, filed 30 Jun. 2005, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to antibodies, including specifiedportions or variants, specific for at least one IL-23 protein orfragment thereof, as well as anti-idiotype antibodies, and nucleic acidsencoding anti-IL-23p19 antibodies, complementary nucleic acids, vectors,host cells, and methods of making and using thereof, includingtherapeutic formulations, administration and devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Interleukin (IL)-12 is a secreted heterodimeric cytokine comprised of 2disulfide-linked glycosylated protein subunits, designated p35 and p40for their approximate molecular weights. IL-12 is produced primarily byantigen-presenting cells and drives cell-mediated immunity by binding toa two-chain receptor complex that is expressed on the surface of T cellsor natural killer (NK) cells. The IL-12 receptor beta-1 (IL-12Rβ1) chainbinds to the p40 subunit of IL-12, providing the primary interactionbetween IL-12 and its receptor. However, it is IL-12p35 ligation of thesecond receptor chain, IL-12Rβ2, that confers intracellular signaling(e.g. STAT4 phosphorylation) and activation of the receptor-bearing cell(Presky et al, 1996). IL-12 signaling concurrent with antigenpresentation is thought to invoke T cell differentiation towards the Thelper 1 (Th1) phenotype, characterized by interferon gamma (IFNγ)production (Trinchieri, 2003). Th1 cells are believed to promoteimmunity to some intracellular pathogens, generate complement-fixingantibody isotypes, and contribute to tumor immunosurveillance. Thus,IL-12 is thought to be a significant component to host defense immunemechanisms.

It was discovered that the p40 protein subunit of IL-12 can alsoassociate with a separate protein subunit, designated p19, to form anovel cytokine, IL-23 (Oppman et al, 2000). IL-23 also signals through atwo-chain receptor complex. Since the p40 subunit is shared betweenIL-12 and IL-23, it follows that the IL-12Rβ1 chain is also sharedbetween IL-12 and IL-23. However, it is the IL-23p19 ligation of thesecond component of the IL-23 receptor complex, IL-23R, that confersIL-23 specific intracellular signaling (e.g., STAT3 phosphorylation) andsubsequent IL-17 production by T cells (Parham et al, 2002; Aggarwal etal. 2003). Recent studies have demonstrated that the biologicalfunctions of IL-23 are distinct from those of IL-12, despite thestructural similarity between the two cytokines (Langrish et al, 2005).

Abnormal regulation of IL-12 and Th1 cell populations has beenassociated with many immune-mediated diseases since neutralization ofIL-12 by antibodies is effective in treating animal models of psoriasis,multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory boweldisease, insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus, and uveitis(Leonard et al, 1995; Hong et al, 1999; Malfait et al, 1998; Davidson etal, 1998). However, since these studies targeted the shared p40 subunit,both IL-12 and IL-23 were neutralized in vivo. Therefore, it was unclearwhether IL-12 or IL-23 was mediating disease, or if both cytokinesneeded to be inhibited to achieve disease suppression. Recent studieshave confirmed through IL-23p19 deficient mice or specific antibodyneutralization of IL-23 that IL-23 inhibition can provide equivalentbenefit as anti-IL-12p40 strategies (Cua et al, 2003, Murphy et al,2003, Benson et al 2004). Therefore, there is increasing evidence forthe specific role of IL-23 in immune-mediated disease. Neutralization ofIL-23 without inhibition of IL-12 pathways could then provide effectivetherapy of immune-mediated disease with limited impact on important hostdefense immune mechanism. This would represent a significant improvementover current therapeutic options.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides isolated mammalian, including, withoutlimitation, human, antibodies that bind to the p19 subunit of IL-23,anti-IL-23p19 antibodies (also referred to as IL-23p19 antibodies),immunoglobulins, fragments, cleavage products and other specifiedportions and variants thereof, as well as anti-IL-23p19 antibodycompositions, IL-23p19 anti-idiotype antibodies, encoding orcomplementary nucleic acids, vectors, host cells, compositions,combinations, formulations, devices, transgenic animals, transgenicplants, and methods of making and using them.

The present invention provides, in one aspect, isolated nucleic acidmolecules comprising, complementary, or hybridizing to, a polynucleotideencoding specific anti-IL-23p19 antibodies or anti-idiotype antibodies,comprising at least one specified sequence, domain, portion or variantthereof. The present invention further provides recombinant vectorscomprising said anti-IL-23p19 antibody nucleic acid molecules, hostcells containing such nucleic acids and/or recombinant vectors, as wellas methods of making and/or using such antibody nucleic acids, vectorsand/or host cells.

The present invention also provides at least one method for expressingat least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody, or IL-23p19 anti-idiotype antibody,in a host cell, comprising culturing a host cell as described hereinunder conditions wherein at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody isexpressed in detectable and/or recoverable amounts.

The present invention also provides at least one composition comprising(a) an isolated anti-IL-23p19 antibody encoding nucleic acid and/orantibody as described herein; and (b) a suitable and/or pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier or diluent.

The present invention further provides at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody method or composition, for administering a therapeuticallyeffective amount to modulate or treat at least one IL-23p19 relatedcondition in a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient and/or, prior to,subsequent to, or during a related condition, as known in the art and/oras described herein.

The present invention also provides at least one composition, deviceand/or method of delivery of a therapeutically or prophylacticallyeffective amount of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody, according tothe present invention.

The present invention further provides at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody method or composition, for diagnosing at least one IL-23related condition in a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient and/or,prior to, subsequent to, or during a related condition, as known in theart and/or as described herein.

The present invention also provides at least one composition, deviceand/or method of delivery for diagnosing of at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody, according to the present invention.

Also provided is a medical device, comprising at least one isolatedmammalian anti-IL-23p19 antibody of the invention, wherein the device issuitable for contacting or administering the at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody, IL-23p19 anti-idiotypic antibody, nucleic acid molecule,compound, protein, and/or composition.

Also provided is an article of manufacture for human pharmaceutical ordiagnostic use, comprising packaging material and a container comprisinga solution or a lyophilized form of at least one isolated anti-IL-23p19antibody of the present invention. The article of manufacture canoptionally have the container as a component of a delivery device orsystem.

The present invention further provides any invention described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows that IL23p19 antibodies bind specifically to hrIL-23 andnot hrIL-12 or hrp40 monomer. An anti-IL12/IL23 p40 antibody is shown tobind IL-23, IL-12 and the p40 monomer. An anti-IL12 antibody (20C2) isshown to bind IL-12 only.

FIG. 2 shows the IL-23 binding to plate-immobilized IL-23p19 antibodiesof the invention in which all four antibodies tested show similarbinding curves.

FIG. 3A shows that antibodies C1249 and C1269 block normal IL-23/IL-23Rbinding.

FIG. 3B shows that antibodies C1273 and C1275 block normal IL-23/IL-23Rbinding.

FIG. 4 shows that the IL-23p19 antibodies of the invention inhibithrIL-23 mediated IL-17 production.

FIG. 5 shows the impact of IL-23 Mutations on Binding of C1249, C1269and CNTO 209.

FIG. 6 shows a structural model of human IL-23 in a ribbonsrepresentation.

FIG. 7 shows the results of competition analysis of antibodies C1249 andC1269.

FIG. 8A shows an ELISA analysis of IL-23 mutant proteins binding toantibody C1249.

FIG. 8B shows an ELISA analysis of IL-23 mutant proteins binding toantibody C1269.

FIG. 9 shows a comparison of the relative binding activity for IL-23mutant proteins binding to C1249, C1269 and control antibody.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides isolated, recombinant and/or syntheticanti-IL-23p19 antibodies, including, without limitation, mammalian(e.g., human antibodies) and IL-23p19 anti-idiotype antibodies thereto,as well as compositions and encoding nucleic acid molecules comprisingat least one polynucleotide encoding at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodyor anti-idiotype antibody. The present invention further includes, butis not limited to, methods of making and using such nucleic acids andantibodies and anti-idiotype antibodies, including diagnostic andtherapeutic compositions, methods and devices.

As used herein, an “anti-IL-23p19 antibody,” “IL-23p19 antibody,”“anti-IL-23p19 antibody portion,” or “anti-IL-23p19 antibody fragment”and/or “anti-IL-23p19 antibody variant” and the like include any proteinor peptide containing molecule that comprises at least a portion of animmunoglobulin molecule, such as but not limited to, at least onecomplementarity determining region (CDR) of a heavy or light chain or aligand binding portion thereof, a heavy chain or light chain variableregion, a heavy chain or light chain constant region, a frameworkregion, or any portion thereof, or at least one portion of an IL-23receptor or binding protein, which can be incorporated into an antibodyof the present invention. Such antibody optionally further affects aspecific ligand, such as but not limited to, where such antibodymodulates, decreases, increases, antagonizes, agonizes, mitigates,alleviates, blocks, inhibits, abrogates and/or interferes with at leastone IL-23 activity or binding, or with IL-23 receptor activity orbinding, in vitro, in situ and/or in vivo. As a non-limiting example, asuitable anti-IL-23p19 antibody, specified portion or variant of thepresent invention can bind at least one IL-23 molecule, or specifiedportions, variants or domains thereof. A suitable anti-IL-23p19antibody, specified portion, or variant can also optionally affect atleast one of IL-23p19 activity or function, such as but not limited to,RNA, DNA or protein synthesis, IL-23 release, IL-23 receptor signaling,membrane IL-23 cleavage, IL-23 activity, IL-23 production and/orsynthesis.

The term “antibody” is further intended to encompass antibodies,digestion fragments, specified portions and variants thereof, including,without limitation, antibody mimetics or comprising portions ofantibodies that mimic the structure and/or function of an antibody orspecified fragment or portion thereof, including, without limitation,single chain antibodies, single domain antibodies, and fragmentsthereof. Functional fragments include antigen-binding fragments thatbind to a human IL-23p19. For example, antibody fragments capable ofbinding to IL-23p19 or portions thereof, including, but not limited to,Fab (e.g., by papain digestion), Fab′ (e.g., by pepsin digestion andpartial reduction) and F(ab′)₂ (e.g., by pepsin digestion), facb (e.g.,by plasmin digestion), pFc′ (e.g., by pepsin or plasmin digestion), Fd(e.g., by pepsin digestion, partial reduction and reaggregation), Fv orscFv (e.g., by molecular biology techniques) fragments, are encompassedby the invention (see, e.g., Colligan, Immunology, supra).

Such fragments can be produced by enzymatic cleavage, synthetic orrecombinant techniques, as known in the art and/or as described herein.Antibodies can also be produced in a variety of truncated forms usingantibody genes in which one or more stop codons have been introducedupstream of the natural stop site. For example, a combination geneencoding a F(ab′)₂ heavy chain portion can be designed to include DNAsequences encoding the CH₁ domain and/or hinge region of the heavychain. The various portions of antibodies can be joined togetherchemically by conventional techniques, or can be prepared as acontiguous protein using genetic engineering techniques.

The term “human antibody,” as used herein, is intended to includeantibodies having variable and constant regions derived from or closelymatching human germline immunoglobulin sequences. The human antibodiesof the invention may include amino acid residues not encoded by humangermline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g., mutations introduced by randomor site-specific mutagenesis in vitro or by somatic mutation in vivo).Thus, as used herein, the term “human antibody” refers to an antibody inwhich substantially every part of the protein (e.g., CDR, framework,C_(L), C_(H) domains (e.g., C_(H)1, C_(H)2, C_(H)3), hinge, (V_(L),V_(H))) is substantially similar to a human germline antibody. Humanantibodies have been classified into groupings based on their amino acidsequence similarities, see e.g. http://people.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/˜ubcg07s/.Thus, using a sequence similarity search, an antibody with similarlinear sequence can be chosen as a template to create “humanizedantibodies.”

“Humanization” (also called Reshaping or CDR-grafting) is now awell-established technique for reducing the immunogenicity of monoclonalantibodies (mAbs) from xenogeneic sources (commonly rodent) and forimproving the effector functions (ADCC, complement activation, C1qbinding). The engineered mAb is engineered using the techniques ofmolecular biology, however simple CDR-grafting of the rodentcomplementarity-determining regions (CDRs) into human frameworks oftenresults in loss of binding affinity and/or specificity of the originalmAb. In order to humanize an antibody, the design of the humanizedantibody includes variations such as conservative amino acidsubstitutions in residues of the CDRs, and back substitution of residuesfrom the rodent mAb into the human framework regions (backmutations).The positions can be discerned or identified by sequence comparison forstructural analysis or by analysis of a homology model of the variableregions' 3D structure. The process of affinity maturation has mostrecently used phage libraries to vary the amino acids at chosenpositions. Similarly, many approaches have been used to choose the mostappropriate human frameworks in which to graft the rodent CDRs. As thedatasets of known parameters for antibody structures increases, so doesthe sophistication and refinement of these techniques. Consensus orgermline sequences from a single antibody or fragments of the frameworksequences within each light or heavy chain variable region from severaldifferent human mAbs can be used. Another approach to humanization is tomodify only surface residues of the rodent sequence with the most commonresidues found in human mAbs and has been termed “resurfacing” or“veneering.” Known human Ig sequences are disclosed, e.g.,www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi; www.ncbi.nih.gov/igblast;www.atcc.org/phage/hdb.html; www.kabatdatabase.com/top.html;www.antibodyresource.com/onlinecomp.html; www.appliedbiosystems.com;www.biodesign.com; antibody.bath.ac.uk; www.unizh.ch;www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/˜ubcg07s; Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins ofImmunological Interest, U.S. Dept. Health (1983), each entirelyincorporated herein by reference. Often, the human or humanized antibodyis substantially non-immunogenic in humans.

Similarly, antibodies designated primate (monkey, baboon, chimpanzee,etc.), rodent (mouse, rat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, and the like)and other mammals designate such species, sub-genus, genus, sub-family,and family specific antibodies. Further, chimeric antibodies can includeany combination of the above. Such changes or variations optionally andpreferably retain or reduce the immunogenicity in humans or otherspecies relative to non-modified antibodies. Thus, a human antibody isdistinct from a chimeric or humanized antibody.

It is pointed out that a human antibody can be produced by a non-humananimal or prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell that is capable of expressingfunctionally rearranged human immunoglobulin (e.g., heavy chain and/orlight chain) genes. Further, when a human antibody is a single chain orsingle domain antibody, it can comprise a linker peptide that is notfound in native human antibodies. For example, an Fv can comprise alinker peptide, such as two to about eight glycine or other amino acidresidues, which connects the variable region of the heavy chain and thevariable region of the light chain. Such linker peptides are consideredto be of human origin.

Bispecific, heterospecific, heteroconjugate or similar antibodies canalso be used that are monoclonal, preferably, human or humanized,antibodies that have binding specificities for at least two differentantigens. In the present case, one of the binding specificities is forat least one IL-23p19 protein subunit, the other one is for any otherantigen. Methods for making bispecific antibodies are known in the art.Traditionally, the recombinant production of bispecific antibodies isbased on the co-expression of two immunoglobulin heavy chain-light chainpairs, where the two heavy chains have different specificities (Milsteinand Cuello, Nature 305:537 (1983)). Because of the random assortment ofimmunoglobulin heavy and light chains, these hybridomas (quadromas)produce a potential mixture of 10 different antibody molecules, of whichonly one has the correct bispecific structure. The purification of thecorrect molecule is usually done by affinity chromatography steps.Similar procedures are disclosed, e.g., in WO 93/08829, U.S. Pat. Nos.6,210,668, 6,193,967, 6,132,992, 6,106,833, 6,060,285, 6,037,453,6,010,902, 5,989,530, 5,959,084, 5,959,083, 5,932,448, 5,833,985,5,821,333, 5,807,706, 5,643,759, 5,601,819, 5,582,996, 5,496,549,4,676,980, WO 91/00360, WO 92/00373, EP 03089, Traunecker et al., EMBOJ. 10:3655 (1991), Suresh et al., Methods in Enzymology 121:210 (1986),each entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Anti-IL-23p19 antibodies useful in the methods and compositions of thepresent invention can optionally be characterized by high affinitybinding to IL-23p19 and, optionally and preferably, as having lowtoxicity. In particular, an antibody, specified fragment or variant ofthe invention, where the individual components, such as the variableregion, constant region and framework, individually and/or collectively,optionally and preferably possess low immunogenicity, is useful in thepresent invention. The antibodies that can be used in the invention areoptionally characterized by their ability to treat patients for extendedperiods with measurable alleviation of symptoms and low and/oracceptable toxicity. Low or acceptable immunogenicity and/or highaffinity, as well as other suitable properties, can contribute to thetherapeutic results achieved. “Low immunogenicity” is defined herein asthe incidence of titratable levels of antibodies to the anti-IL-23p19antibody in patients treated with anti-IL-23p19 antibody as occurring inless than 25% of patients treated, preferably, in less than 10% ofpatients treated with the recommended dose for the recommended course oftherapy during the treatment period.

The isolated nucleic acids of the present invention can be used forproduction of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody or specified variantthereof, which can be used to measure or effect in an cell, tissue,organ or animal (including mammals and humans), to diagnose, monitor,modulate, treat, alleviate, help prevent the incidence of, or reduce thesymptoms of, at least one IL-23 related condition, selected from, butnot limited to, at least one of an immune disorder or disease, acardiovascular disorder or disease, an infectious, malignant, and/orneurologic disorder or disease, or other known or specified IL-23related condition.

Such a method can comprise administering an effective amount of acomposition or a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody to a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient inneed of such modulation, treatment, alleviation, prevention, orreduction in symptoms, effects or mechanisms. The effective amount cancomprise an amount of about 0.001 to 500 mg/kg per single (e.g., bolus),multiple or continuous administration, or to achieve a serumconcentration of 0.01-5000 μg/ml serum concentration per single,multiple, or continuous administration, or any effective range or valuetherein, as done and determined using known methods, as described hereinor known in the relevant arts.

Antibodies of the Present Invention—Production and Generation

At least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody of the present invention can beoptionally produced by a cell line, a mixed cell line, an immortalizedcell or clonal population of immortalized cells, as well known in theart. See, e.g., Ausubel, et al., ed., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y. (1987-2001); Sambrook,et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) Edition, ColdSpring Harbor, N.Y. (1989); Harlow and Lane, Antibodies, a LaboratoryManual, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989); Colligan, et al., eds., CurrentProtocols in Immunology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY (1994-2001);Colligan et al., Current Protocols in Protein Science, John Wiley &Sons, NY, N.Y., (1997-2001).

Antibodies that are specific for human IL-23p19 proteins or fragmentsthereof can be raised against an appropriate immunogenic antigen, suchas an isolated IL-23p19 protein and/or a portion thereof (includingsynthetic molecules, such as synthetic peptides). Other specific orgeneral antibodies, including, without limitation, mammalian antibodies,can be similarly raised. Preparation of immunogenic antigens, andmonoclonal antibody production can be performed using any suitabletechnique.

In one approach, a hybridoma is produced by fusing a suitable immortalcell line (e.g., a myeloma cell line, such as, but not limited to,Sp2/0, Sp2/0-AG14, NSO, NS1, NS2, AE-1, L.5, L243, P3X63Ag8.653, Sp2SA3, Sp2 MAI, Sp2 SS1, Sp2 SA5, U937, MLA 144, ACT IV, MOLT4, DA-1,JURKAT, WEHI, K-562, COS, RAJI, NIH 3T3, HL-60, MLA 144, NAMALWA, NEURO2A, or the like, or heteromylomas, fusion products thereof, or any cellor fusion cell derived therefrom, or any other suitable cell line asknown in the art) (see, e.g., www.atcc.org, www.lifetech.com., and thelike), with antibody producing cells, such as, but not limited to,isolated or cloned spleen, peripheral blood, lymph, tonsil, or otherimmune or B cell containing cells, or any other cells expressing heavyor light chain constant or variable or framework or CDR sequences,either as endogenous or heterologous nucleic acid, as recombinant orendogenous, viral, bacterial, algal, prokaryotic, amphibian, insect,reptilian, fish, mammalian, rodent, equine, ovine, goat, sheep, primate,eukaryotic, genomic DNA, cDNA, rDNA, mitochondrial DNA or RNA,chloroplast DNA or RNA, hnRNA, mRNA, tRNA, single, double or triplestranded, hybridized, and the like or any combination thereof. See,e.g., Ausubel, supra, and Colligan, Immunology, supra, chapter 2,entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Antibody producing cells can also be obtained from the peripheral bloodor, preferably, the spleen or lymph nodes, of humans or other suitableanimals that have been immunized with the antigen of interest. Any othersuitable host cell can also be used for expressing heterologous orendogenous nucleic acid encoding an antibody, specified fragment orvariant thereof, of the present invention. The fused cells (hybridomas)or recombinant cells can be isolated using selective culture conditionsor other suitable known methods, and cloned by limiting dilution or cellsorting, or other known methods. Cells which produce antibodies with thedesired specificity can be selected by a suitable assay (e.g., ELISA).

Methods for engineering or humanizing non-human or human antibodies canalso be used and are well known in the art. A humanized or engineeredantibody may have one or more amino acid residues from a source that isnon-human, e.g., but not limited to, mouse, rat, rabbit, non-humanprimate or other mammal. These non-human amino acid residues arereplaced by residues that are often referred to as “import” residues,which are typically taken from an “import” variable, constant or otherdomain of a known human sequence.

Known human Ig sequences are disclosed, e.g.,www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi; www.ncbi.nih.gov/igblast;www.atcc.org/phage/hdb.html; www.mrc-cpe.cam.ac.uk/ALIGNMENTS.php;www.kabatdatabase.com/top.html; ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/repository/kabat;www.sciquest.com; www.abcam.com;www.antibodyresource.com/onlinecomp.html;www.public.iastate.edu/˜pedro/researchtools.html;www.whfreeman.com/immunology/CH05/kuby05.htm;www.hhmi.org/grants/lectures/1996/vlab;www.path.cam.ac.uk/˜mrc7/mikeimages.html;mcb.harvard.edu/BioLinks/Immunology.html; www.immunologylink.com;pathbox.wust1.edu/˜hcenter/index.html; www.appliedbiosystems.com;www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/antibody;www.m.ehime-u.ac.jp/˜yasuhito/Elisa.html; www.biodesign.com;www.cancerresearchuk.org; www.biotech.ufl.edu; www.isac-net.org;baserv.uci.kun.n1/˜jraats/linksl.html;www.recab.uni-hd.de/immuno.bme.nwu.edu; www.mrc-cpe.cam.ac.uk;www.ibt.unam.mx/vir/V_mice.html; http://www.bioinf.org.uk/abs;antibody.bath.ac.uk; www.unizh.ch; www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/˜ubcg07s;www.nimr.mrc.ac.uk/CC/ccaewg/ccaewg.html;www.path.cam.ac.uk/˜mrc7/humanisation/TAHHP.html;www.ibt.unam.mx/vir/structure/stataim.html;www.biosci.missouri.edu/smithgp/index.html; www.jerini.de; Kabat et al.,Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, U.S. Dept. Health(1983), each entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Such imported sequences can be used to reduce immunogenicity or reduce,enhance or modify binding, affinity, on-rate, off-rate, avidity,specificity, half-life, or any other suitable characteristic, as knownin the art. In general, the CDR residues are directly and mostsubstantially involved in influencing antigen binding. Accordingly, partor all of the non-human or human CDR sequences are maintained while thenon-human sequences of the variable and constant regions may be replacedwith human or other amino acids.

Antibodies can also optionally be humanized or engineered or humanantibodies engineered with retention of high affinity for the antigenand other favorable biological properties. To achieve this goal,humanized (or human) antibodies can be optionally prepared by a processof analysis of the parental sequences and various conceptual humanizedand engineered products using three-dimensional models of the parental,engineered, and humanized sequences.

Three-dimensional immunoglobulin models are commonly available and arefamiliar to those skilled in the art. Computer programs are availablewhich illustrate and display probable three-dimensional conformationalstructures of selected candidate immunoglobulin sequences. Inspection ofthese displays permits analysis of the likely role of the residues inthe functioning of the candidate immunoglobulin sequence, i.e., theanalysis of residues that influence the ability of the candidateimmunoglobulin to bind its antigen. In this way, framework (FR) residuescan be selected and combined from the consensus and import sequences sothat the desired antibody characteristic, such as increased affinity forthe target antigen(s), is achieved.

In addition, the IL-23p19 antibody of the present invention may comprisea human germline light chain framework. In particular embodiments, thelight chain germline sequence is selected from human VK sequencesincluding, but not limited to, A1, A10, A11, A14, A17, A18, A19, A2,A20, A23, A26, A27, A3, A30, A5, A7, B2, B3, L1, L10, L11, L12, L14,L15, L16, L18, L19, L2, L20, L22, L23, L24, L25, L4/18a, L5, L6, L8, L9,O1, O11, O12, O14, O18, O2, O4, and O8. In certain embodiments, thislight chain human germline framework is selected from V1-11, V1-13,V1-16, V1-17, V1-18, V1-19, V1-2, V1-20, V1-22, V1-3, V1-4, V1-5, V1-7,V1-9, V2-1, V2-11, V2-13, V2-14, V2-15, V2-17, V2-19, V2-6, V2-7, V2-8,V3-2, V3-3, V3-4, V4-1, V4-2, V4-3, V4-4, V4-6, V5-1, V5-2, V5-4, andV5-6. See PCT WO 2005/005604 for a description of the different germlinesequences.

In other embodiments, the IL-23 antibody of the present invention maycomprise a human germline heavy chain framework. In particularembodiments, this heavy chain human germline framework is selected fromVH1-18, VH1-2, VH1-24, VH1-3, VH1-45, VH1-46, VH1-58, VH1-69, VH1-8,VH2-26, VH2-5, VH2-70, VH3-11, VH3-13, VH3-15, VH3-16, VH3-20, VH3-21,VH3-23, VH3-30, VH3-33, VH3-35, VH3-38, VH3-43, VH3-48, VH3-49, VH3-53,VH3-64, VH3-66, VH3-7, VH3-72, VH3-73, VH3-74, VH3-9, VH4-28, VH4-31,VH4-34, VH4-39, VH4-4, VH4-59, VH4-61, VH5-51, VH6-1, and VH7-81. SeePCT WO 2005/005604 for a description of the different germlinesequences.

In particular embodiments, the light chain variable region and/or heavychain variable region comprises a framework region or at least a portionof a framework region (e.g., containing 2 or 3 subregions, such as FR2and FR3). In certain embodiments, at least FRL1, FRL2, FRL3, or FRL4 isfully human. In other embodiments, at least FRH1, FRH2, FRH3, or FRH4 isfully human. In some embodiments, at least FRL1, FRL2, FRL3, or FRL4 isa germline sequence (e.g., human germline) or comprises human consensussequences for the particular framework (readily available at the sourcesof known human Ig sequences described above). In other embodiments, atleast FRH1, FRH2, FRH3, or FRH4 is a germline sequence (e.g., humangermline) or comprises human consensus sequences for the particularframework. In preferred embodiments, the framework region is a humanframework region.

Humanization or engineering of antibodies of the present invention canbe performed using any known method, such as but not limited to thosedescribed in, Winter (Jones et al., Nature 321:522 (1986); Riechmann etal., Nature 332:323 (1988); Verhoeyen et al., Science 239:1534 (1988)),Sims et al., J. Immunol. 151: 2296 (1993); Chothia and Lesk, J. Mol.Biol. 196:901 (1987), Carter et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.89:4285 (1992); Presta et al., J. Immunol. 151:2623 (1993), U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,723,323, 5,976,862, 5,824,514, 5,817,483, 5,814,476, 5,763,192,5,723,323, 5,766,886, 5,714,352, 6,204,023, 6,180,370, 5,693,762,5,530,101, 5,585,089, 5,225,539; 4,816,567, PCT/: US98/16280,US96/18978, US91/09630, US91/05939, US94/01234, GB89/01334, GB91/01134,GB92/01755; WO90/14443, WO90/14424, WO90/14430, EP 229246, each entirelyincorporated herein by reference, included references cited therein.

In certain embodiments, the antibody comprises an altered (e.g.,mutated) Fc region. For example, in some embodiments, the Fc region hasbeen altered to reduce or enhance the effector functions of theantibody. In some embodiments, the Fc region is an isotype selected fromIgM, IgA, IgG, IgE, or other isotype.

Alternatively or additionally, it may be useful to combine amino acidmodifications with one or more further amino acid modifications thatalter C1q binding and/or the complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC)function of the Fc region of an IL-23p19 binding molecule. The bindingpolypeptide of particular interest may be one that binds to C1q anddisplays complement dependent cytotoxicity. Polypeptides withpre-existing C1q binding activity, optionally further having the abilityto mediate CDC may be modified such that one or both of these activitiesare enhanced. Amino acid modifications that alter C1q and/or modify itscomplement dependent cytotoxicity function are described, for example,in WO/0042072, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

As disclosed above, one can design an Fc region of the IL-23p19 antibodyof the present invention with altered effector function, e.g., bymodifying C1q binding and/or FcγR binding and thereby changing CDCactivity and/or ADCC activity. “Effector functions” are responsible foractivating or diminishing a biological activity (e.g., in a subject).Examples of effector functions include, but are not limited to: C1qbinding; complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC); Fc receptor binding;antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC); phagocytosis; downregulation of cell surface receptors (e.g., B cell receptor; BCR), etc.Such effector functions may require the Fc region to be combined with abinding domain (e.g., an antibody variable domain) and can be assessedusing various assays (e.g., Fc binding assays, ADCC assays, CDC assays,etc.).

For example, one can generate a variant Fc region of the IL-23p19antibody with improved C1q binding and improved FcγRIII binding (e.g.,having both improved ADCC activity and improved CDC activity).Alternatively, if it is desired that effector function be reduced orablated, a variant Fc region can be engineered with reduced CDC activityand/or reduced ADCC activity. In other embodiments, only one of theseactivities may be increased, and, optionally, also the other activityreduced (e.g., to generate an Fc region variant with improved ADCCactivity, but reduced CDC activity and vice versa).

Fc mutations can also be introduced in engineer to alter theirinteraction with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and improve theirpharmacokinetic properties. A collection of human Fc variants withimproved binding to the FcRn have been described (Shields et al.,(2001). High resolution mapping of the binding site on human IgG1 forFcγRI, FcγRII, FcγRIII, and FcRn and design of IgG1 variants withimproved binding to the FcγR, J. Biol. Chem. 276:6591-6604).

Another type of amino acid substitution serves to alter theglycosylation pattern of the Fc region of the IL-23p19 antibody.Glycosylation of an Fc region is typically either N-linked or O-linked.N-linked refers to the attachment of the carbohydrate moiety to the sidechain of an asparagine residue. O-linked glycosylation refers to theattachment of one of the sugars N-aceylgalactosamine, galactose, orxylose to a hydroxyamino acid, most commonly serine or threonine,although 5-hydroxyproline or 5-hydroxylysine may also be used. Therecognition sequences for enzymatic attachment of the carbohydratemoiety to the asparagine side chain peptide sequences areasparagine-X-serine and asparagine-X-threonine, where X is any aminoacid except proline. Thus, the presence of either of these peptidesequences in a polypeptide creates a potential glycosylation site.

The glycosylation pattern may be altered, for example, by deleting oneor more glycosylation site(s) found in the polypeptide, and/or addingone or more glycosylation site(s) that are not present in thepolypeptide. Addition of glycosylation sites to the Fc region of anIL-23p19 antibody is conveniently accomplished by altering the aminoacid sequence such that it contains one or more of the above-describedtripeptide sequences (for N-linked glycosylation sites). An exemplaryglycosylation variant has an amino acid substitution of residue Asn 297of the heavy chain. The alteration may also be made by the addition of,or substitution by, one or more serine or threonine residues to thesequence of the original polypeptide (for O-linked glycosylation sites).Additionally, a change of Asn 297 to Ala can remove one of theglycosylation sites.

In certain embodiments, the IL-23p19 antibody of the present inventionis expressed in cells that express beta(1,4)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT III), such that GnT IIIadds GlcNAc to the IL-23p19 antibody. Methods for producing antibodiesin such a fashion are provided in WO/9954342, WO/03011878, patentpublication 20030003097A1, and Umana et al., Nature Biotechnology,17:176-180, February 1999. An anti-IL-23p19 antibody can be optionallygenerated by immunization of a transgenic animal (e.g., mouse, rat,hamster, non-human primate, and the like) capable of producing arepertoire of human antibodies, as described herein and/or as known inthe art. Cells that produce an anti-IL-23p19 antibody can be isolatedfrom such animals and immortalized using suitable methods, such as themethods described herein.

Transgenic mice that can produce a repertoire of human antibodies thatbind to human antigens can be produced by known methods (e.g., but notlimited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,770,428, 5,569,825, 5,545,806, 5,625,126,5,625,825, 5,633,425, 5,661,016 and 5,789,650 issued to Lonberg et al.;Jakobovits et al. WO 98/50433, Jakobovits et al. WO 98/24893, Lonberg etal. WO 98/24884, Lonberg et al. WO 97/13852, Lonberg et al. WO 94/25585,Kucherlapate et al. WO 96/34096, Kucherlapate et al. EP 0463 151 B1,Kucherlapate et al. EP 0710 719 A1, Surani et al. U.S. Pat. No.5,545,807, Bruggemann et al. WO 90/04036, Bruggemann et al. EP 0438 474B1, Lonberg et al. EP 0814 259 A2, Lonberg et al. GB 2 272 440 A,Lonberg et al. Nature 368:856-859 (1994), Taylor et al., Int. Immunol.6(4)579-591 (1994), Green et al, Nature Genetics 7:13-21 (1994), Mendezet al., Nature Genetics 15:146-156 (1997), Taylor et al., Nucleic AcidsResearch 20(23):6287-6295 (1992), Tuaillon et al., Proc Natl Acad SciUSA 90(8)3720-3724 (1993), Lonberg et al., Int Rev Immunol 13(1):65-93(1995) and Fishwald et al., Nat Biotechnol 14(7):845-851 (1996), whichare each entirely incorporated herein by reference). Generally, thesemice comprise at least one transgene comprising DNA from at least onehuman immunoglobulin locus that is functionally rearranged, or which canundergo functional rearrangement. The endogenous immunoglobulin loci insuch mice can be disrupted or deleted to eliminate the capacity of theanimal to produce antibodies encoded by endogenous genes.

Screening antibodies for specific binding to similar proteins orfragments can be conveniently achieved using peptide display libraries.This method involves the screening of large collections of peptides forindividual members having the desired function or structure. Antibodyscreening of peptide display libraries is well known in the art. Thedisplayed peptide sequences can be from 3 to 5000 or more amino acids inlength, frequently from 5-100 amino acids long, and often from about 8to 25 amino acids long. In addition to direct chemical synthetic methodsfor generating peptide libraries, several recombinant DNA methods havebeen described. One type involves the display of a peptide sequence onthe surface of a bacteriophage or cell. Each bacteriophage or cellcontains the nucleotide sequence encoding the particular displayedpeptide sequence. Such methods are described in PCT Patent PublicationNos. 91/17271, 91/18980, 91/19818, and 93/08278.

Other systems for generating libraries of peptides have aspects of bothin vitro chemical synthesis and recombinant methods. See, PCT PatentPublication Nos. 92/05258, 92/14843, and 96/19256. See also, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,658,754; and 5,643,768. Peptide display libraries, vector, andscreening kits are commercially available from such suppliers asInvitrogen (Carlsbad, Calif.), and Cambridge Antibody Technologies(Cambridgeshire, UK). See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,704,692, 4,939,666,4,946,778, 5,260,203, 5,455,030, 5,518,889, 5,534,621, 5,656,730,5,763,733, 5,767,260, 5,856,456, assigned to Enzon; U.S. Pat. Nos.5,223,409, 5,403,484, 5,571,698, 5,837,500, assigned to Dyax, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,427,908, 5,580,717, assigned to Affymax; U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,793,assigned to Cambridge Antibody Technologies; U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,373,assigned to Genentech, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,618,920, 5,595,898, 5,576,195,5,698,435, 5,693,493, 5,698,417, assigned to Xoma, Colligan, supra;Ausubel, supra; or Sambrook, supra.

Antibodies of the present invention can also be prepared using at leastone anti-IL-23p19 antibody encoding nucleic acid to provide transgenicanimals or mammals, such as goats, cows, horses, sheep, rabbits and thelike, that produce such antibodies in their milk. Such animals can beprovided using known methods. See, e.g., but not limited to, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,827,690; 5,849,992; 4,873,316; 5,849,992; 5,994,616; 5,565,362;5,304,489, and the like, each of which is entirely incorporated hereinby reference.

Antibodies of the present invention can additionally be prepared usingat least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody encoding nucleic acid to providetransgenic plants and cultured plant cells (e.g., but not limited to,tobacco and maize) that produce such antibodies, specified portions orvariants in the plant parts or in cells cultured therefrom. As anon-limiting example, transgenic tobacco leaves expressing recombinantproteins have been successfully used to provide large amounts ofrecombinant proteins, e.g., using an inducible promoter. See, e.g.,Cramer et al., Curr. Top. Microbol. Immunol. 240:95-118 (1999) andreferences cited therein. Also, transgenic maize have been used toexpress mammalian proteins at commercial production levels, withbiological activities equivalent to those produced in other recombinantsystems or purified from natural sources. See, e.g., Hood et al., Adv.Exp. Med. Biol. 464:127-147 (1999) and references cited therein.Antibodies have also been produced in large amounts from transgenicplant seeds including antibody fragments, such as single chainantibodies (scFv's), including tobacco seeds and potato tubers. See,e.g., Conrad et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 38:101-109 (1998) and referencescited therein. Thus, antibodies of the present invention can also beproduced using transgenic plants, according to known methods. See also,e.g., Fischer et al., Biotechnol. Appl. Biochem. 30:99-108 (October,1999), Ma et al., Trends Biotechnol. 13:522-7 (1995); Ma et al., PlantPhysiol. 109:341-6 (1995); Whitelam et al., Biochem. Soc. Trans.22:940-944 (1994); and references cited therein.

The antibodies of the invention can bind human IL-23p19 with a widerange of affinities (K_(D)). In a preferred embodiment, at least one mAbof the present invention can optionally bind human IL-23p19 with highaffinity. For example, a human or other mAb can bind human IL-23p19 witha K_(D) equal to or less than about 10⁻⁷ M, such as but not limited to,0.1-9.9 (or any range or value therein)×10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁸, 10⁻⁹, 10 10, 10-11,10⁻¹³, 10¹⁹, 10⁻¹⁵ or any range or value therein, as determined bysurface plasmon resonance or the Kinexa method, as practiced by those ofskill in the art. In one embodiment, the antibodies of the inventionbind human IL-23, or more specifically, IL-23p19, with a K_(D) betweenabout 3.38×10⁻¹⁰ M and about 4.3×10⁻¹¹ M.

The affinity or avidity of an antibody for an antigen can be determinedexperimentally using any suitable method. (See, for example, Berzofsky,et al., “Antibody-Antigen Interactions,” In Fundamental Immunology,Paul, W. E., Ed., Raven Press: New York, N.Y. (1984); Kuby, JanisImmunology, W. H. Freeman and Company: New York, N.Y. (1992); andmethods described herein). The measured affinity of a particularantibody-antigen interaction can vary if measured under differentconditions (e.g., salt concentration, pH). Thus, measurements ofaffinity and other antigen-binding parameters (e.g., K_(D), K_(on),K_(off)) are preferably made with standardized solutions of antibody andantigen, and a standardized buffer, such as the buffer described herein.

Certain embodiments of the anti-IL-23p19 antibodies of the inventionhave the sequences shown in the Sequence Tables below. For example, ananti-IL-23p19 antibody of the invention has one of the light chain CDR1sequences of SEQ ID NOS:9, 19, 29, and 39; one of the light chain CDR2sequences of SEQ ID NOS:10, 20, 30, and 40; one of the light chain CDR3sequences of SEQ ID NOS:11, 21, 31, and 41; one of the heavy chain CDR1sequences SEQ ID NOS:4, 14, 24, and 34; one of the heavy chain CDR2sequences SEQ ID NOS:5, 15, 25, and 35; and/or one of the heavy chainCDR1 sequences SEQ ID NOS:6, 16, 26, and 36.

Nucleic Acid Molecules

Using the information provided herein, for example, the nucleotidesequences encoding at least 70-100% of the contiguous amino acids of atleast one of the light chain variable regions of SEQ ID NOS:7, 17, 27,and 37 and at least one of the heavy chain variable regions of SEQ IDNOS:2, 12, 22, and 32, specified fragments, variants or consensussequences thereof, or a deposited vector comprising at least one ofthese sequences, a nucleic acid molecule of the present inventionencoding at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody can be obtained usingmethods described herein or as known in the art.

Nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be in the form ofRNA, such as mRNA, hnRNA, tRNA or any other form, or in the form of DNA,including, but not limited to, cDNA and genomic DNA obtained by cloningor produced synthetically, or any combinations thereof. The DNA can betriple-stranded, double-stranded or single-stranded, or any combinationthereof. Any portion of at least one strand of the DNA or RNA can be thecoding strand, also known as the sense strand, or it can be thenon-coding strand, also referred to as the anti-sense strand.

Isolated nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can includenucleic acid molecules comprising an open reading frame (ORF),optionally, with one or more introns, e.g., but not limited to, at leastone specified portion of at least one CDR, such as CDR1, CDR2 and/orCDR3 of at least light chain (9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, 31, 39, 40,41) or at least one heavy chain (SEQ ID NOS:4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 24, 25,26, 34, 35, and 36); nucleic acid molecules comprising the codingsequence for an anti-IL-23p19 antibody or variable region (e.g., lightchain variable regions of SEQ ID NOS:7, 17, 27, and 37 and heavy chainvariable regions of SEQ ID NOS:2, 12, 22, and 32); and nucleic acidmolecules which comprise a nucleotide sequence substantially differentfrom those described above but which, due to the degeneracy of thegenetic code, still encode at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody asdescribed herein and/or as known in the art. Of course, the genetic codeis well known in the art. Thus, it would be routine for one skilled inthe art to generate such degenerate nucleic acid variants that code forspecific anti-IL-23p19 antibodies of the present invention. See, e.g.,Ausubel, et al., supra, and such nucleic acid variants are included inthe present invention.

As indicated herein, nucleic acid molecules of the present inventionwhich comprise a nucleic acid encoding an anti-IL-23p19 antibody caninclude, but are not limited to, those encoding the amino acid sequenceof an antibody fragment, by itself; the coding sequence for the entireantibody or a portion thereof; the coding sequence for an antibody,fragment or portion, as well as additional sequences, such as the codingsequence of at least one signal leader or fusion peptide, with orwithout the aforementioned additional coding sequences, such as at leastone intron, together with additional, non-coding sequences, includingbut not limited to, non-coding 5′ and 3′ sequences, such as thetranscribed, non-translated sequences that play a role in transcription,mRNA processing, including splicing and polyadenylation signals (forexample, ribosome binding and stability of mRNA); an additional codingsequence that codes for additional amino acids, such as those thatprovide additional functionalities. Thus, the sequence encoding anantibody can be fused to a marker sequence, such as a sequence encodinga peptide that facilitates purification of the fused antibody comprisingan antibody fragment or portion.

Polynucleotides Selectively Hybridizing to a Polynucleotide as DescribedHerein

The present invention provides isolated nucleic acids that hybridizeunder selective hybridization conditions to a polynucleotide disclosedherein. Thus, the polynucleotides of this embodiment can be used forisolating, detecting, and/or quantifying nucleic acids comprising suchpolynucleotides. For example, polynucleotides of the present inventioncan be used to identify, isolate, or amplify partial or full-lengthclones in a deposited library. In some embodiments, the polynucleotidesare genomic or cDNA sequences isolated, or otherwise complementary to, acDNA from a human or mammalian nucleic acid library.

Preferably, the cDNA library comprises at least 80% full-lengthsequences, preferably, at least 85% or 90% full-length sequences, and,more preferably, at least 95% full-length sequences. The cDNA librariescan be normalized to increase the representation of rare sequences. Lowor moderate stringency hybridization conditions are typically, but notexclusively, employed with sequences having a reduced sequence identityrelative to complementary sequences. Moderate and high stringencyconditions can optionally be employed for sequences of greater identity.Low stringency conditions allow selective hybridization of sequenceshaving about 70% sequence identity and can be employed to identifyorthologous or paralogous sequences.

Optionally, polynucleotides of this invention will encode at least aportion of an antibody encoded by the polynucleotides described herein.The polynucleotides of this invention embrace nucleic acid sequencesthat can be employed for selective hybridization to a polynucleotideencoding an antibody of the present invention. See, e.g., Ausubel,supra; Colligan, supra, each entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Construction of Nucleic Acids

The isolated nucleic acids of the present invention can be made using(a) recombinant methods, (b) synthetic techniques, (c) purificationtechniques, and/or (d) combinations thereof, as well-known in the art.

The nucleic acids can conveniently comprise sequences in addition to apolynucleotide of the present invention. For example, a multi-cloningsite comprising one or more endonuclease restriction sites can beinserted into the nucleic acid to aid in isolation of thepolynucleotide. Also, translatable sequences can be inserted to aid inthe isolation of the translated polynucleotide of the present invention.For example, a hexa-histidine marker sequence provides a convenientmeans to purify the proteins of the present invention. The nucleic acidof the present invention, excluding the coding sequence, is optionally avector, adapter, or linker for cloning and/or expression of apolynucleotide of the present invention.

Additional sequences can be added to such cloning and/or expressionsequences to optimize their function in cloning and/or expression, toaid in isolation of the polynucleotide, or to improve the introductionof the polynucleotide into a cell. Use of cloning vectors, expressionvectors, adapters, and linkers is well known in the art. (See, e.g.,Ausubel, supra; or Sambrook, supra)

Recombinant Methods for Constructing Nucleic Acids

The isolated nucleic acid compositions of this invention, such as RNA,cDNA, genomic DNA, or any combination thereof, can be obtained frombiological sources using any number of cloning methodologies known tothose of skill in the art. In some embodiments, oligonucleotide probesthat selectively hybridize, under stringent conditions, to thepolynucleotides of the present invention are used to identify thedesired sequence in a cDNA or genomic DNA library. The isolation of RNA,and construction of cDNA and genomic libraries, are well known to thoseof ordinary skill in the art. (See, e.g., Ausubel, supra; or Sambrook,supra)

Nucleic Acid Screening and Isolation Methods

A cDNA or genomic library can be screened using a probe based upon thesequence of a polynucleotide of the present invention, such as thosedisclosed herein. Probes can be used to hybridize with genomic DNA orcDNA sequences to isolate homologous genes in the same or differentorganisms. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that variousdegrees of stringency of hybridization can be employed in the assay; andeither the hybridization or the wash medium can be stringent. As theconditions for hybridization become more stringent, there must be agreater degree of complementarity between the probe and the target forduplex formation to occur. The degree of stringency can be controlled byone or more of temperature, ionic strength, pH and the presence of apartially denaturing solvent, such as formamide. For example, thestringency of hybridization is conveniently varied by changing thepolarity of the reactant solution through, for example, manipulation ofthe concentration of formamide within the range of 0% to 50%. The degreeof complementarity (sequence identity) required for detectable bindingwill vary in accordance with the stringency of the hybridization mediumand/or wash medium. The degree of complementarity will optimally be100%, or 70-100%, or any range or value therein. However, it should beunderstood that minor sequence variations in the probes and primers canbe compensated for by reducing the stringency of the hybridizationand/or wash medium.

Methods of amplification of RNA or DNA are well known in the art and canbe used according to the present invention without undueexperimentation, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein.

Known methods of DNA or RNA amplification include, but are not limitedto, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and related amplification processes(see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195, 4,683,202, 4,800,159, 4,965,188,to Mullis, et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,795,699 and 4,921,794 to Tabor, etal; U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,033 to Innis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,464 to Wilson,et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,310 to Innis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,584 toGyllensten, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,818 to Gelfand, et al; U.S. Pat.No. 4,994,370 to Silver, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,067 to Biswas; U.S.Pat. No. 4,656,134 to Ringold) and RNA mediated amplification that usesanti-sense RNA to the target sequence as a template for double-strandedDNA synthesis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,238 to Malek, et al, with thetradename NASBA), the entire contents of which references areincorporated herein by reference. (See, e.g., Ausubel, supra; orSambrook, supra.)

For instance, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology can be used toamplify the sequences of polynucleotides of the present invention andrelated genes directly from genomic DNA or cDNA libraries. PCR and otherin vitro amplification methods can also be useful, for example, to clonenucleic acid sequences that code for proteins to be expressed, to makenucleic acids to use as probes for detecting the presence of the desiredmRNA in samples, for nucleic acid sequencing, or for other purposes.Examples of techniques sufficient to direct persons of skill through invitro amplification methods are found in Berger, supra, Sambrook, supra,and Ausubel, supra, as well as Mullis, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202(1987); and Innis, et al., PCR Protocols A Guide to Methods andApplications, Eds., Academic Press Inc., San Diego, Calif. (1990).Commercially available kits for genomic PCR amplification are known inthe art. See, e.g., Advantage-GC Genomic PCR Kit (Clontech).Additionally, e.g., the T4 gene 32 protein (Boehringer Mannheim) can beused to improve yield of long PCR products.

Synthetic Methods for Constructing Nucleic Acids

The isolated nucleic acids of the present invention can also be preparedby direct chemical synthesis by known methods (see, e.g., Ausubel, etal., supra). Chemical synthesis generally produces a single-strandedoligonucleotide, which can be converted into double-stranded DNA byhybridization with a complementary sequence, or by polymerization with aDNA polymerase using the single strand as a template. One of skill inthe art will recognize that while chemical synthesis of DNA can belimited to sequences of about 100 or more bases, longer sequences can beobtained by the ligation of shorter sequences.

Recombinant Expression Cassettes

The present invention further provides recombinant expression cassettescomprising a nucleic acid of the present invention. A nucleic acidsequence of the present invention, for example, a cDNA or a genomicsequence encoding an antibody of the present invention, can be used toconstruct a recombinant expression cassette that can be introduced intoat least one desired host cell. A recombinant expression cassette willtypically comprise a polynucleotide of the present invention operablylinked to transcriptional initiation regulatory sequences that willdirect the transcription of the polynucleotide in the intended hostcell. Both heterologous and non-heterologous (i.e., endogenous)promoters can be employed to direct expression of the nucleic acids ofthe present invention.

In some embodiments, isolated nucleic acids that serve as promoter,enhancer, or other elements can be introduced in the appropriateposition (upstream, downstream or in the intron) of a non-heterologousform of a polynucleotide of the present invention so as to up or downregulate expression of a polynucleotide of the present invention. Forexample, endogenous promoters can be altered in vivo or in vitro bymutation, deletion and/or substitution.

Vectors And Host Cells

The present invention also relates to vectors that include isolatednucleic acid molecules of the present invention, host cells that aregenetically engineered with the recombinant vectors, and the productionof at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody by recombinant techniques, as iswell known in the art. See, e.g., Sambrook, et al., supra; Ausubel, etal., supra, each entirely incorporated herein by reference.

The polynucleotides can optionally be joined to a vector containing aselectable marker for propagation in a host. Generally, a plasmid vectoris introduced in a precipitate, such as a calcium phosphate precipitate,or in a complex with a charged lipid. If the vector is a virus, it canbe packaged in vitro using an appropriate packaging cell line and thentransduced into host cells.

The DNA insert should be operatively linked to an appropriate promoter.The expression constructs will further contain sites for transcriptioninitiation, termination and, in the transcribed region, a ribosomebinding site for translation. The coding portion of the maturetranscripts expressed by the constructs will preferably include atranslation initiating at the beginning and a termination codon (e.g.,UAA, UGA or UAG) appropriately positioned at the end of the mRNA to betranslated, with UAA and UAG preferred for mammalian or eukaryotic cellexpression.

Expression vectors will preferably but optionally include at least oneselectable marker. Such markers include, e.g., but are not limited to,methotrexate (MTX), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR, U.S. Pat. Nos.4,399,216; 4,634,665; 4,656,134; 4,956,288; 5,149,636; 5,179,017,ampicillin, neomycin (G418), mycophenolic acid, or glutamine synthetase(GS, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,122,464; 5,770,359; 5,827,739) resistance foreukaryotic cell culture, and tetracycline or ampicillin resistance genesfor culturing in E. coli and other bacteria or prokaryotics (the abovepatents are entirely incorporated hereby by reference). Appropriateculture mediums and conditions for the above-described host cells areknown in the art. Suitable vectors will be readily apparent to theskilled artisan. Introduction of a vector construct into a host cell canbe effected by calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediatedtransfection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation,transduction, infection or other known methods. Such methods aredescribed in the art, such as Sambrook, supra, Chapters 1-4 and 16-18;Ausubel, supra, Chapters 1, 9, 13, 15, 16.

At least one antibody of the present invention can be expressed in amodified form, such as a fusion protein, and can include not onlysecretion signals, but also additional heterologous functional regions.For instance, a region of additional amino acids, particularly chargedamino acids, can be added to the N-terminus of an antibody to improvestability and persistence in the host cell, during purification, orduring subsequent handling and storage. Also, peptide moieties can beadded to an antibody of the present invention to facilitatepurification. Such regions can be removed prior to final preparation ofan antibody or at least one fragment thereof. Such methods are describedin many standard laboratory manuals, such as Sambrook, supra, Chapters17.29-17.42 and 18.1-18.74; Ausubel, supra, Chapters 16, 17 and 18.

Those of ordinary skill in the art are knowledgeable in the numerousexpression systems available for expression of a nucleic acid encoding aprotein of the present invention. Alternatively, nucleic acids of thepresent invention can be expressed in a host cell by turning on (bymanipulation) in a host cell that contains endogenous DNA encoding anantibody of the present invention. Such methods are well known in theart, e.g., as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,580,734, 5,641,670,5,733,746, and 5,733,761, entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Illustrative of cell cultures useful for the production of theantibodies, specified portions or variants thereof, are mammalian cells.Mammalian cell systems often will be in the form of monolayers of cellsalthough mammalian cell suspensions or bioreactors can also be used. Anumber of suitable host cell lines capable of expressing intactglycosylated proteins have been developed in the art, and include theCOS-1 (e.g., ATCC CRL 1650), COS-7 (e.g., ATCC CRL-1651), HEK293, BHK21(e.g., ATCC CRL-10), CHO (e.g., ATCC CRL 1610) and BSC-1 (e.g., ATCCCRL-26) cell lines, Cos-7 cells, CHO cells, hep G2 cells, P3X63Ag8.653,SP2/0-Ag14, 293 cells, HeLa cells and the like, which are readilyavailable from, for example, American Type Culture Collection, Manassas,Va. (www.atcc.org). Preferred host cells include cells of lymphoidorigin, such as myeloma and lymphoma cells. Particularly preferred hostcells are P3X63Ag8.653 cells (ATCC Accession Number CRL-1580) andSP2/0-Ag14 cells (ATCC Accession Number CRL-1851). In a particularlypreferred embodiment, the recombinant cell is a P3X63Ab8.653 or aSP2/0-Ag14 cell.

Expression vectors for these cells can include one or more of thefollowing expression control sequences, such as, but not limited to, anorigin of replication; a promoter (e.g., late or early SV40 promoters,the CMV promoter (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,168,062; 5,385,839), an HSV tkpromoter, a pgk (phosphoglycerate kinase) promoter, an EF-1 alphapromoter (U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,491), at least one human immunoglobulinpromoter; an enhancer, and/or processing information sites, such asribosome binding sites, RNA splice sites, polyadenylation sites (e.g.,an SV40 large T Ag poly A addition site), and transcriptional terminatorsequences. See, e.g., Ausubel et al., supra; Sambrook, et al., supra.Other cells useful for production of nucleic acids or proteins of thepresent invention are known and/or available, for instance, from theAmerican Type Culture Collection Catalogue of Cell Lines and Hybridomas(www.atcc.org) or other known or commercial sources.

When eukaryotic host cells are employed, polyadenlyation ortranscription terminator sequences are typically incorporated into thevector. An example of a terminator sequence is the polyadenlyationsequence from the bovine growth hormone gene. Sequences for accuratesplicing of the transcript can also be included. An example of asplicing sequence is the VP1 intron from SV40 (Sprague, et al., J.Virol. 45:773-781 (1983)). Additionally, gene sequences to controlreplication in the host cell can be incorporated into the vector, asknown in the art.

Purification of an Antibody

An anti-IL-23p19 antibody can be recovered and purified from recombinantcell cultures by well-known methods including, but not limited to,protein A purification, ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acidextraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulosechromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinitychromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectinchromatography. High performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”) can alsobe employed for purification. See, e.g., Colligan, Current Protocols inImmunology, or Current Protocols in Protein Science, John Wiley & Sons,New York, N.Y., (1997-2001), e.g., Chapters 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, eachentirely incorporated herein by reference.

Antibodies of the present invention include naturally purified products,products of chemical synthetic procedures, and products produced byrecombinant techniques from a eukaryotic host, including, for example,yeast, higher plant, insect and mammalian cells. Depending upon the hostemployed in a recombinant production procedure, the antibody of thepresent invention can be glycosylated or can be non-glycosylated, withglycosylated preferred. Such methods are described in many standardlaboratory manuals, such as Sambrook, supra, Sections 17.37-17.42;Ausubel, supra, Chapters 10, 12, 13, 16, 18 and 20, Colligan, ProteinScience, supra, Chapters 12-14, all entirely incorporated herein byreference.

Anti-IL-23p19 Antibodies

An anti-IL-23p19 antibody according to the present invention includesany protein or peptide containing molecule that comprises at least aportion of an immunoglobulin molecule, such as but not limited to, atleast one ligand binding portion (LBP), such as but not limited to, acomplementarity determining region (CDR) of a heavy or light chain or aligand binding portion thereof, a heavy chain or light chain variableregion, a framework region (e.g., FR1, FR2, FR3, FR4 or fragmentthereof, further optionally comprising at least one substitution,insertion or deletion), a heavy chain or light chain constant region,(e.g., comprising at least one CH1, hinge1, hinge2, hinge3, hinge4, CH2,or CH3 or fragment thereof, further optionally comprising at least onesubstitution, insertion or deletion), or any portion thereof, that canbe incorporated into an antibody of the present invention. An antibodyof the invention can include or be derived from any mammal, such as butnot limited to, a human, a mouse, a rabbit, a rat, a rodent, a primate,or any combination thereof, and the like.

The isolated antibodies of the present invention comprise the antibodyamino acid sequences disclosed herein encoded by any suitablepolynucleotide, or any isolated or prepared antibody. Preferably, thehuman antibody or antigen-binding fragment binds human IL-23p19 and,thereby, partially or substantially neutralizes at least one biologicalactivity of the protein. An antibody, or specified portion or variantthereof, that partially or preferably substantially neutralizes at leastone biological activity of at least one IL-23 protein or fragment canbind the protein or fragment and thereby inhibit activities mediatedthrough the binding of IL-23 to one or more of the IL-23 receptors orthrough other IL-23-dependent or mediated mechanisms. As used herein,the term “neutralizing antibody” refers to an antibody that can inhibitan IL-23-dependent activity by about 20-120%, preferably by at leastabout 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 91, 92, 93,94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100% or more depending on the assay. Thecapacity of an anti-IL-23p19 antibody to inhibit an IL-23-dependentactivity is preferably assessed by at least one suitable IL-23 proteinor receptor assay, as described herein and/or as known in the art. Ahuman antibody of the invention can be of any class (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE,IgD, etc.) or isotype and can comprise a kappa or lambda light chain. Inone embodiment, the human antibody comprises an IgG heavy chain ordefined fragment, for example, at least one of isotypes, IgG1, IgG2,IgG3 or IgG4 (e.g., γ1, □γ2, γ3, or γ4). Antibodies of this type can beprepared by employing a transgenic mouse or other transgenic non-humanmammal comprising at least one human light chain (e.g., IgG, IgA, andIgM) transgenes as described herein and/or as known in the art. Inanother embodiment, the anti-human IL-23p19 antibody comprises an IgG1heavy chain and an IgG1 light chain.

At least one antibody of the invention binds at least one specifiedepitope specific to at least one IL-23p19 protein, subunit, fragment,portion or any combination thereof. The at least one epitope cancomprise at least one antibody binding region that comprises at leastone portion of the protein, which epitope is preferably comprised of atleast one extracellular, soluble, hydrophillic, external or cytoplasmicportion of the protein. The at least one specified epitope can compriseany combination of at least one amino acid sequence of at least 1-3amino acids to the entire specified portion of contiguous amino acids ofamino acid residues 93-104 and 127-137 of SEQ ID NO:1 (that contains theinitial 19 amino acid signal sequence for the p19 protein subunit) (oramino acid residues 74-85 and 108-118 of the p19 sequence withoutinclusion of the signal sequence), for example, amino acid residues 93,93-94, 93-95, 93-96, 97-99, 100-102, 127, 127-128, 128-129, etc. of SEQID NO:1, etc. that include any portions or combinations of thesesequences.

Generally, the antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the presentinvention will comprise an antigen-binding region that comprises atleast one complementarity determining region (CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3) orvariant of at least one heavy chain variable region and at least onecomplementarity determining region (CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3) or variant ofat least one light chain variable region. Optionally, the CDR sequencesmay be derived from human germline sequences or closely match thegermline sequences. For example, the CDRs from a synthetic libraryderived from the original mouse CDRs can be used. These CDRs may beformed by incorporation of conservative substitutions from the originalmouse sequence. As a non-limiting example, the antibody orantigen-binding portion or variant can comprise at least one of theheavy chain CDR3, e.g., selected from SEQ ID NOS:6, 16, 26, and 36,and/or a light chain CDR3, e.g., selected from SEQ ID NOS:11, 21, 31,and 41. In a particular embodiment, the antibody or antigen-bindingfragment can have an antigen-binding region that comprises at least aportion of at least one heavy chain CDR (i.e., CDR1, CDR2 and/or CDR3)(e.g., those disclosed herein). In another particular embodiment, theantibody or antigen-binding portion or variant can have anantigen-binding region that comprises at least a portion of at least onelight chain CDR (i.e., CDR1, CDR2 and/or CDR3) (e.g., those disclosedherein).

In a preferred embodiment, the three heavy chain CDRs and the threelight chain CDRs of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment can beprepared by chemically joining together the various portions (e.g.,CDRs, framework) of the antibody using conventional techniques, bypreparing and expressing a (i.e., one or more) nucleic acid moleculethat encodes the antibody using conventional techniques of recombinantDNA technology or by using any other suitable method.

The anti-IL-23p19 antibody can comprise at least one of a heavy or lightchain variable region having a defined amino acid sequence. For example,in a preferred embodiment, the anti-IL-23p19 antibody comprises at leastone of at least one heavy chain variable region optionally selected fromSEQ ID NOS:3, 13, 23, and 33 and/or at least one light chain variableregion optionally selected from SEQ ID NOS:8, 18, 28, and 38. Antibodiesthat bind to human IL-23p19 and that comprise a defined heavy or lightchain variable region can be prepared using suitable methods, such asphage display (Katsube, Y., et al., Int J Mol. Med, 1(5):863-868 (1998))or methods that employ transgenic animals, as known in the art and/or asdescribed herein. For example, a transgenic mouse, comprising afunctionally rearranged human immunoglobulin heavy chain transgene and atransgene comprising DNA from a human immunoglobulin light chain locusthat can undergo functional rearrangement, can be immunized with humanIL-23 or a fragment thereof to elicit the production of antibodies. Ifdesired, the antibody producing cells can be isolated and hybridomas orother immortalized antibody-producing cells can be prepared as describedherein and/or as known in the art. Alternatively, the antibody,specified portion or variant can be expressed using the encoding nucleicacid or portion thereof in a suitable host cell.

Amino Acid Codes

The amino acids that make up anti-IL-23p19 antibodies of the presentinvention are often abbreviated. The amino acid designations can beindicated by designating the amino acid by its single letter code, itsthree letter code, name, or three nucleotide codon(s) as is wellunderstood in the art (see Alberts, B., et al., Molecular Biology of TheCell, Third Ed., Garland Publishing, Inc., New York, 1994) Ananti-IL-23p19 antibody of the present invention can include one or moreamino acid substitutions, deletions or additions, either from naturalmutations or human manipulation, as specified herein. Amino acids in ananti-IL-23p19 antibody of the present invention that are essential forfunction can be identified by methods known in the art, such assite-directed mutagenesis or alanine-scanning mutagenesis (e.g.,Ausubel, supra, Chapters 8, 15; Cunningham and Wells, Science244:1081-1085 (1989)). The latter procedure introduces single alaninemutations at every residue in the molecule. The resulting mutantmolecules are then tested for biological activity, such as, but notlimited to, at least one IL-23 neutralizing activity. Sites that arecritical for antibody binding can also be identified by structuralanalysis, such as crystallization, nuclear magnetic resonance orphotoaffinity labeling (Smith, et al., J. Mol. Biol. 224:899-904 (1992)and de Vos, et al., Science 255:306-312 (1992)).

Anti-IL-23p19 antibodies of the present invention can include, but arenot limited to, at least one portion, sequence or combination selectedfrom 5 to all of the contiguous amino acids of the variable regionsequences of SEQ ID NOS:8, 18, 28, and 38 and SEQ ID NOS:3, 13, 23, and33.

Non-limiting variants that can enhance or maintain at least one of thelisted activities include, but are not limited to, any of the abovepolypeptides, further comprising at least one mutation corresponding toat least one substitution in the residues varied among the disclosedvariant amino acid sequences.

An anti-IL-23p19 antibody can further optionally comprise a polypeptidewith an amino acid sequence that varies from the sequence of SEQ ID NOS:3-6, 8-11, 13-16, 18-21, 23-26, 28-31, 33-36, and 38-41 (e.g., one ormore conservative substitutions from the sequences provided herein).Also, the present invention comprises variants of the amino acidsequence of a light chain variable region of SEQ ID NOS:8, 18, 28, and38 or the amino acid sequence of a heavy chain variable region of SEQ IDNOS:3, 13, 23, and 33.

As those of skill will appreciate, the present invention includes atleast one biologically active antibody of the present invention.Biologically active antibodies have a specific activity at least 20%,30%, or 40%, and, preferably, at least 50%, 60%, or 70%, and, mostpreferably, at least 80%, 90%, or 95%-1000% or more of that of thenative (non-synthetic), endogenous or related and known antibody.Methods of assaying and quantifying measures of enzymatic activity andsubstrate specificity are well known to those of skill in the art.

In another aspect, the invention relates to human antibodies andantigen-binding fragments, as described herein, which are modified bythe covalent attachment of an organic moiety. Such modification canproduce an antibody or antigen-binding fragment with improvedpharmacokinetic properties (e.g., increased in vivo serum half-life).The organic moiety can be a linear or branched hydrophilic polymericgroup, fatty acid group, or fatty acid ester group. In particularembodiments, the hydrophilic polymeric group can have a molecular weightof about 800 to about 120,000 Daltons and can be a polyalkane glycol(e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG)),carbohydrate polymer, amino acid polymer or polyvinyl pyrolidone, andthe fatty acid or fatty acid ester group can comprise from about eightto about forty carbon atoms.

The modified antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of the inventioncan comprise one or more organic moieties that are covalently bonded,directly or indirectly, to the antibody. Each organic moiety that isbonded to an antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the invention canindependently be a hydrophilic polymeric group, a fatty acid group or afatty acid ester group. As used herein, the term “fatty acid”encompasses mono-carboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids. A “hydrophilicpolymeric group,” as the term is used herein, refers to an organicpolymer that is more soluble in water than in octane. For example,polylysine is more soluble in water than in octane. Thus, an antibodymodified by the covalent attachment of polylysine is encompassed by theinvention. Hydrophilic polymers suitable for modifying antibodies of theinvention can be linear or branched and include, for example, polyalkaneglycols (e.g., PEG, monomethoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG), PPG and thelike), carbohydrates (e.g., dextran, cellulose, oligosaccharides,polysaccharides and the like), polymers of hydrophilic amino acids(e.g., polylysine, polyarginine, polyaspartate and the like), polyalkaneoxides (e.g., polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide and the like) andpolyvinyl pyrolidone. Preferably, the hydrophilic polymer that modifiesthe antibody of the invention has a molecular weight of about 800 toabout 150,000 Daltons as a separate molecular entity. For example,PEG₅₀₀₀ and PEG_(20,000), wherein the subscript is the average molecularweight of the polymer in Daltons, can be used. The hydrophilic polymericgroup can be substituted with one to about six alkyl, fatty acid orfatty acid ester groups. Hydrophilic polymers that are substituted witha fatty acid or fatty acid ester group can be prepared by employingsuitable methods. For example, a polymer comprising an amine group canbe coupled to a carboxylate of the fatty acid or fatty acid ester, andan activated carboxylate (e.g., activated with N,N-carbonyl diimidazole)on a fatty acid or fatty acid ester can be coupled to a hydroxyl groupon a polymer.

Fatty acids and fatty acid esters suitable for modifying antibodies ofthe invention can be saturated or can contain one or more units ofunsaturation. Fatty acids that are suitable for modifying antibodies ofthe invention include, for example, n-dodecanoate (C₁₂, laurate),n-tetradecanoate (C₁₄, myristate), n-octadecanoate (C₁₈, stearate),n-eicosanoate (C₂₀, arachidate), n-docosanoate (C₂₂, behenate),n-triacontanoate (C₃₀), n-tetracontanoate (C₄₀), cis-Δ9-octadecanoate(C₁₈, oleate), all cis-A5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoate (C₂₀, arachidonate),octanedioic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, octadecanedioic acid,docosanedioic acid, and the like. Suitable fatty acid esters includemono-esters of dicarboxylic acids that comprise a linear or branchedlower alkyl group. The lower alkyl group can comprise from one to abouttwelve, preferably, one to about six, carbon atoms.

The modified human antibodies and antigen-binding fragments can beprepared using suitable methods, such as by reaction with one or moremodifying agents. A “modifying agent” as the term is used herein, refersto a suitable organic group (e.g., hydrophilic polymer, a fatty acid, afatty acid ester) that comprises an activating group. An “activatinggroup” is a chemical moiety or functional group that can, underappropriate conditions, react with a second chemical group therebyforming a covalent bond between the modifying agent and the secondchemical group. For example, amine-reactive activating groups includeelectrophilic groups, such as tosylate, mesylate, halo (chloro, bromo,fluoro, iodo), N-hydroxysuccinimidyl esters (NHS), and the like.Activating groups that can react with thiols include, for example,maleimide, iodoacetyl, acrylolyl, pyridyl disulfides,5-thiol-2-nitrobenzoic acid thiol (TNB-thiol), and the like. An aldehydefunctional group can be coupled to amine- or hydrazide-containingmolecules, and an azide group can react with a trivalent phosphorousgroup to form phosphoramidate or phosphorimide linkages. Suitablemethods to introduce activating groups into molecules are known in theart (see for example, Hermanson, G. T., Bioconjugate Techniques,Academic Press: San Diego, Calif. (1996)). An activating group can bebonded directly to the organic group (e.g., hydrophilic polymer, fattyacid, fatty acid ester), or through a linker moiety, for example, adivalent C₁-C₁₂ group wherein one or more carbon atoms can be replacedby a heteroatom, such as oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur. Suitable linkermoieties include, for example, tetraethylene glycol, —(CH₂)₃—,—NH—(CH₂)₆—NH—, —(CH₂)₂—NH— and —CH₂—O—CH₂—CH₂—O—CH₂—CH₂—O—CH—NH—.Modifying agents that comprise a linker moiety can be produced, forexample, by reacting a mono-Boc-alkyldiamine (e.g.,mono-Boc-ethylenediamine, mono-Boc-diaminohexane) with a fatty acid inthe presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) toform an amide bond between the free amine and the fatty acidcarboxylate. The Boc protecting group can be removed from the product bytreatment with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to expose a primary amine thatcan be coupled to another carboxylate, as described, or can be reactedwith maleic anhydride and the resulting product cyclized to produce anactivated maleimido derivative of the fatty acid. (See, for example,Thompson, et al., WO 92/16221, the entire teachings of which areincorporated herein by reference.)

The modified antibodies of the invention can be produced by reacting ahuman antibody or antigen-binding fragment with a modifying agent. Forexample, the organic moieties can be bonded to the antibody in anon-site specific manner by employing an amine-reactive modifying agent,for example, an NHS ester of PEG. Modified human antibodies orantigen-binding fragments can also be prepared by reducing disulfidebonds (e.g., intra-chain disulfide bonds) of an antibody orantigen-binding fragment. The reduced antibody or antigen-bindingfragment can then be reacted with a thiol-reactive modifying agent toproduce the modified antibody of the invention. Modified humanantibodies and antigen-binding fragments comprising an organic moietythat is bonded to specific sites of an antibody of the present inventioncan be prepared using suitable methods, such as reverse proteolysis(Fisch et al., Bioconjugate Chem., 3:147-153 (1992); Werlen et al.,Bioconjugate Chem., 5:411-417 (1994); Kumaran et al., Protein Sci.6(10):2233-2241 (1997); Itoh et al., Bioorg. Chem., 24(1): 59-68 (1996);Capellas et al., Biotechnol. Bioeng., 56(4):456-463 (1997)), and themethods described in Hermanson, G. T., Bioconjugate Techniques, AcademicPress: San Diego, Calif. (1996).

Anti-Idiotype Antibodies to Anti-IL-23p19 Antibody Compositions

In addition to monoclonal anti-IL-23p19 antibodies, the presentinvention is also directed to an anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodyspecific for such antibodies of the invention. An anti-Id antibody is anantibody which recognizes unique determinants generally associated withthe antigen-binding region of another antibody. The anti-Id can beprepared by immunizing an animal of the same species and genetic type(e.g., mouse strain) as the source of the Id antibody with the antibodyor a CDR containing region thereof. The immunized animal will recognizeand respond to the idiotypic determinants of the immunizing antibody andproduce an anti-Id antibody. The anti-Id antibody may also be used as an“immunogen” to induce an immune response in yet another animal,producing a so-called anti-anti-Id antibody.

The present invention also provides at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodycomposition comprising at least one, at least two, at least three, atleast four, at least five, at least six or more anti-IL-23p19 antibodiesthereof, as described herein and/or as known in the art that areprovided in a non-naturally occurring composition, mixture or form. Suchcompositions comprise non-naturally occurring compositions comprising atleast one or two full length, C- and/or N-terminally deleted variants,domains, fragments, or specified variants, of the anti-IL-23p19 antibodyamino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of 70-100% of thecontiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NOS:3-6, 8-11, 13-16, 18-21, 23-26,28-31, 33-36, and 38-41, or specified fragments, domains or variantsthereof. Preferred anti-IL-23p19 antibody compositions include at leastone or two full length, fragments, domains or variants of at least oneCDR or LBP containing portions of the anti-IL-23p19 antibody sequencedescribed herein, for example, 70-100% of SEQ ID NOS: 3-6, 8-11, 13-16,18-21, 23-26, 28-31, 33-36, and 38-41, or specified fragments, domainsor variants thereof. Further preferred compositions comprise, forexample, 40-99% of at least one of 70-100% of SEQ ID NOS: 3-6, 8-11,13-16, 18-21, 23-26, 28-31, 33-36, and 38-41, or specified fragments,domains or variants thereof. Such composition percentages are by weight,volume, concentration, molarity, or molality as liquid or dry solutions,mixtures, suspension, emulsions, particles, powder, or colloids, asknown in the art or as described herein.

Antibody Compositions Comprising Further Therapeutically ActiveIngredients

The antibody compositions of the invention can optionally furthercomprise an effective amount of at least one compound or proteinselected from at least one of an anti-infective drug, a cardiovascular(CV) system drug, a central nervous system (CNS) drug, an autonomicnervous system (ANS) drug, a respiratory tract drug, a gastrointestinal(GI) tract drug, a hormonal drug, a drug for fluid or electrolytebalance, a hematologic drug, an antineoplastic, an immunomodulationdrug, an ophthalmic, otic or nasal drug, a topical drug, a nutritionaldrug or the like. Such drugs are well known in the art, includingformulations, indications, dosing and administration for each presentedherein (see, e.g., Nursing 2001 Handbook of Drugs, 21^(st) edition,Springhouse Corp., Springhouse, Pa., 2001; Health Professional's DrugGuide 2001, ed., Shannon, Wilson, Stang, Prentice-Hall, Inc, UpperSaddle River, N.J.; Pharmcotherapy Handbook, Wells et al., ed., Appleton& Lange, Stamford, Conn., each entirely incorporated herein byreference).

The anti-infective drug can be at least one selected from amebicides orat least one antiprotozoals, anthelmintics, antifungals, antimalarials,antituberculotics or at least one antileprotics, aminoglycosides,penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, sulfonamides,fluoroquinolones, antivirals, macrolide anti-infectives, andmiscellaneous anti-infectives. The CV drug can be at least one selectedfrom inotropics, antiarrhythmics, antianginals, antihypertensives,antilipemics, and miscellaneous cardiovascular drugs. The CNS drug canbe at least one selected from nonnarcotic analgesics or at least oneselected from antipyretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,narcotic or at least one opioid analgesics, sedative-hypnotics,anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, antipsychotics,central nervous system stimulants, antiparkinsonians, and miscellaneouscentral nervous system drugs. The ANS drug can be at least one selectedfrom cholinergics (parasympathomimetics), anticholinergics, adrenergics(sympathomimetics), adrenergic blockers (sympatholytics), skeletalmuscle relaxants, and neuromuscular blockers. The respiratory tract drugcan be at least one selected from antihistamines, bronchodilators,expectorants or at least one antitussive, and miscellaneous respiratorydrugs. The GI tract drug can be at least one selected from antacids orat least one adsorbent or at least one antiflatulent, digestive enzymeor at least one gallstone solubilizer, antidiarrheals, laxatives,antiemetics, and antiulcer drugs. The hormonal drug can be at least oneselected from corticosteroids, androgens or at least one anabolicsteroid, estrogen or at least one progestin, gonadotropin, antidiabeticdrug or at least one glucagon, thyroid hormone, thyroid hormoneantagonist, pituitary hormone, and parathyroid-like drug. The drug forfluid and electrolyte balance can be at least one selected fromdiuretics, electrolytes or at least one replacement solution, acidifieror at least one alkalinizer. The hematologic drug can be at least oneselected from hematinics, anticoagulants, blood derivatives, andthrombolytic enzymes. The antineoplastics can be at least one selectedfrom alkylating drugs, antimetabolites, antibiotic antineoplastics,antineoplastics that alter hormone balance, and miscellaneousantineoplastics. The immunomodulation drug can be at least one selectedfrom immunosuppressants, vaccines or at least one toxoid, antitoxin orat least one antivenin, immune serum, and biological response modifier.The ophthalmic, otic, and nasal drugs can be at least one selected fromophthalmic anti-infectives, ophthalmic anti-inflammatories, miotics,mydriatics, ophthalmic vasoconstrictors, miscellaneous ophthalmics,otics, and nasal drugs. The topical drug can be at least one selectedfrom local anti-infectives, scabicides or at least one pediculicide ortopical corticosteroid. The nutritional drug can be at least oneselected from vitamins, minerals, or calorics. See, e.g., contents ofNursing 2001 Drug Handbook, supra.

The at least one amebicide or antiprotozoal can be at least one selectedfrom atovaquone, chloroquine hydrochloride, chloroquine phosphate,metronidazole, metronidazole hydrochloride, and pentamidine isethionate.The at least one anthelmintic can be at least one selected frommebendazole, pyrantel pamoate, and thiabendazole. The at least oneantifungal can be at least one selected from amphotericin B,amphotericin B cholesteryl sulfate complex, amphotericin B lipidcomplex, amphotericin B liposomal, fluconazole, flucytosine,griseofulvin microsize, griseofulvin ultramicrosize, itraconazole,ketoconazole, nystatin, and terbinafine hydrochloride. The at least oneantimalarial can be at least one selected from chloroquinehydrochloride, chloroquine phosphate, doxycycline, hydroxychloroquinesulfate, mefloquine hydrochloride, primaquine phosphate, pyrimethamine,and pyrimethamine with sulfadoxine. The at least one antituberculotic orantileprotic can be at least one selected from clofazimine, cycloserine,dapsone, ethambutol hydrochloride, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifabutin,rifampin, rifapentine, and streptomycin sulfate. The at least oneaminoglycoside can be at least one selected from amikacin sulfate,gentamicin sulfate, neomycin sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, andtobramycin sulfate. The at least one penicillin can be at least oneselected from amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium, amoxicillin trihydrate,ampicillin, ampicillin sodium, ampicillin trihydrate, ampicillinsodium/sulbactam sodium, cloxacillin sodium, dicloxacillin sodium,mezlocillin sodium, nafcillin sodium, oxacillin sodium, penicillin Gbenzathine, penicillin G potassium, penicillin G procaine, penicillin Gsodium, penicillin V potassium, piperacillin sodium, piperacillinsodium/tazobactam sodium, ticarcillin disodium, and ticarcillindisodium/clavulanate potassium. The at least one cephalosporin can be atleast one selected from cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefazolin sodium,cefdinir, cefepime hydrochloride, cefixime, cefmetazole sodium,cefonicid sodium, cefoperazone sodium, cefotaxime sodium, cefotetandisodium, cefoxitin sodium, cefpodoxime proxetil, cefprozil,ceftazidime, ceftibuten, ceftizoxime sodium, ceftriaxone sodium,cefuroxime axetil, cefuroxime sodium, cephalexin hydrochloride,cephalexin monohydrate, cephradine, and loracarbef. The at least onetetracycline can be at least one selected from demeclocyclinehydrochloride, doxycycline calcium, doxycycline hyclate, doxycyclinehydrochloride, doxycycline monohydrate, minocycline hydrochloride, andtetracycline hydrochloride. The at least one sulfonamide can be at leastone selected from co-trimoxazole, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole,sulfisoxazole, and sulfisoxazole acetyl. The at least onefluoroquinolone can be at least one selected from alatrofloxacinmesylate, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacinhydrochloride, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, andtrovafloxacin mesylate. The at least one fluoroquinolone can be at leastone selected from alatrofloxacin mesylate, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin,levofloxacin, lomefloxacin hydrochloride, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin,ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, and trovafloxacin mesylate. The at least oneantiviral can be at least one selected from abacavir sulfate, acyclovirsodium, amantadine hydrochloride, amprenavir, cidofovir, delavirdinemesylate, didanosine, efavirenz, famciclovir, fomivirsen sodium,foscarnet sodium, ganciclovir, indinavir sulfate, lamivudine,lamivudine/zidovudine, nelfinavir mesylate, nevirapine, oseltamivirphosphate, ribavirin, rimantadine hydrochloride, ritonavir, saquinavir,saquinavir mesylate, stavudine, valacyclovir hydrochloride, zalcitabine,zanamivir, and zidovudine. The at least one macroline anti-infective canbe at least one selected from azithromycin, clarithromycin,dirithromycin, erythromycin base, erythromycin estolate, erythromycinethylsuccinate, erythromycin lactobionate, and erythromycin stearate.The at least one miscellaneous anti-infective can be at least oneselected from aztreonam, bacitracin, chloramphenicol sodium sucinate,clindamycin hydrochloride, clindamycin palmitate hydrochloride,clindamycin phosphate, imipenem and cilastatin sodium, meropenem,nitrofurantoin macrocrystals, nitrofurantoin microcrystals,quinupristin/dalfopristin, spectinomycin hydrochloride, trimethoprim,and vancomycin hydrochloride. (See, e.g., pp. 24-214 of Nursing 2001Drug Handbook.)

The at least one inotropic can be at least one selected from amrinonelactate, digoxin, and milrinone lactate. The at least one antiarrhythmiccan be at least one selected from adenosine, amiodarone hydrochloride,atropine sulfate, bretylium tosylate, diltiazem hydrochloride,disopyramide, disopyramide phosphate, esmolol hydrochloride, flecainideacetate, ibutilide fumarate, lidocaine hydrochloride, mexiletinehydrochloride, moricizine hydrochloride, phenytoin, phenytoin sodium,procainamide hydrochloride, propafenone hydrochloride, propranololhydrochloride, quinidine bisulfate, quinidine gluconate, quinidinepolygalacturonate, quinidine sulfate, sotalol, tocainide hydrochloride,and verapamil hydrochloride. The at least one antianginal can be atleast one selected from amlodipidine besylate, amyl nitrite, bepridilhydrochloride, diltiazem hydrochloride, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbidemononitrate, nadolol, nicardipine hydrochloride, nifedipine,nitroglycerin, propranolol hydrochloride, verapamil, and verapamilhydrochloride. The at least one antihypertensive can be at least oneselected from acebutolol hydrochloride, amlodipine besylate, atenolol,benazepril hydrochloride, betaxolol hydrochloride, bisoprolol fumarate,candesartan cilexetil, captopril, carteolol hydrochloride, carvedilol,clonidine, clonidine hydrochloride, diazoxide, diltiazem hydrochloride,doxazosin mesylate, enalaprilat, enalapril maleate, eprosartan mesylate,felodipine, fenoldopam mesylate, fosinopril sodium, guanabenz acetate,guanadrel sulfate, guanfacine hydrochloride, hydralazine hydrochloride,irbesartan, isradipine, labetalol hydrchloride, lisinopril, losartanpotassium, methyldopa, methyldopate hydrochloride, metoprolol succinate,metoprolol tartrate, minoxidil, moexipril hydrochloride, nadolol,nicardipine hydrochloride, nifedipine, nisoldipine, nitroprussidesodium, penbutolol sulfate, perindopril erbumine, phentolamine mesylate,pindolol, prazosin hydrochloride, propranolol hydrochloride, quinaprilhydrochloride, ramipril, telmisartan, terazosin hydrochloride, timololmaleate, trandolapril, valsartan, and verapamil hydrochloride. The atleast one antilipemic can be at least one selected from atorvastatincalcium, cerivastatin sodium, cholestyramine, colestipol hydrochloride,fenofibrate (micronized), fluvastatin sodium, gemfibrozil, lovastatin,niacin, pravastatin sodium, and simvastatin. The at least onemiscellaneous CV drug can be at least one selected from abciximab,alprostadil, arbutamine hydrochloride, cilostazol, clopidogrelbisulfate, dipyridamole, eptifibatide, midodrine hydrochloride,pentoxifylline, ticlopidine hydrochloride, and tirofiban hydrochloride.(See, e.g., pp. 215-336 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one nonnarcotic analgesic or antipyretic can be at leastone selected from acetaminophen, aspirin, choline magnesiumtrisalicylate, diflunisal, and magnesium salicylate. The at least onenonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug can be at least one selected fromcelecoxib, diclofenac potassium, diclofenac sodium, etodolac, fenoprofencalcium, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, indomethacin sodiumtrihydrate, ketoprofen, ketorolac tromethamine, nabumetone, naproxen,naproxen sodium, oxaprozin, piroxicam, rofecoxib, and sulindac. The atleast one narcotic or opioid analgesic can be at least one selected fromalfentanil hydrochloride, buprenorphine hydrochloride, butorphanoltartrate, codeine phosphate, codeine sulfate, fentanyl citrate, fentanyltransdermal system, fentanyl transmucosal, hydromorphone hydrochloride,meperidine hydrochloride, methadone hydrochloride, morphinehydrochloride, morphine sulfate, morphine tartrate, nalbuphinehydrochloride, oxycodone hydrochloride, oxycodone pectinate, oxymorphonehydrochloride, pentazocine hydrochloride, pentazocine hydrochloride andnaloxone hydrochloride, pentazocine lactate, propoxyphene hydrochloride,propoxyphene napsylate, remifentanil hydrochloride, sufentanil citrate,and tramadol hydrochloride. The at least one sedative-hypnotic can be atleast one selected from chloral hydrate, estazolam, flurazepamhydrochloride, pentobarbital, pentobarbital sodium, phenobarbitalsodium, secobarbital sodium, temazepam, triazolam, zaleplon, andzolpidem tartrate. The at least one anticonvulsant can be at least oneselected from acetazolamide sodium, carbamazepine, clonazepam,clorazepate dipotassium, diazepam, divalproex sodium, ethosuximide,fosphenytoin sodium, gabapentin, lamotrigine, magnesium sulfate,phenobarbital, phenobarbital sodium, phenytoin, phenytoin sodium,phenytoin sodium (extended), primidone, tiagabine hydrochloride,topiramate, valproate sodium, and valproic acid. The at least oneantidepressant can be at least one selected from amitriptylinehydrochloride, amitriptyline pamoate, amoxapine, bupropionhydrochloride, citalopram hydrobromide, clomipramine hydrochloride,desipramine hydrochloride, doxepin hydrochloride, fluoxetinehydrochloride, imipramine hydrochloride, imipramine pamoate,mirtazapine, nefazodone hydrochloride, nortriptyline hydrochloride,paroxetine hydrochloride, phenelzine sulfate, sertraline hydrochloride,tranylcypromine sulfate, trimipramine maleate, and venlafaxinehydrochloride. The at least one antianxiety drug can be at least oneselected from alprazolam, buspirone hydrochloride, chlordiazepoxide,chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride, clorazepate dipotassium, diazepam,doxepin hydrochloride, hydroxyzine embonate, hydroxyzine hydrochloride,hydroxyzine pamoate, lorazepam, meprobamate, midazolam hydrochloride,and oxazepam. The at least one antipsychotic drug can be at least oneselected from chlorpromazine hydrochloride, clozapine, fluphenazinedecanoate, fluephenazine enanthate, fluphenazine hydrochloride,haloperidol, haloperidol decanoate, haloperidol lactate, loxapinehydrochloride, loxapine succinate, mesoridazine besylate, molindonehydrochloride, olanzapine, perphenazine, pimozide, prochlorperazine,quetiapine fumarate, risperidone, thioridazine hydrochloride,thiothixene, thiothixene hydrochloride, and trifluoperazinehydrochloride. The at least one central nervous system stimulant can beat least one selected from amphetamine sulfate, caffeine,dextroamphetamine sulfate, doxapram hydrochloride, methamphetaminehydrochloride, methylphenidate hydrochloride, modafinil, pemoline, andphentermine hydrochloride. The at least one antiparkinsonian can be atleast one selected from amantadine hydrochloride, benztropine mesylate,biperiden hydrochloride, biperiden lactate, bromocriptine mesylate,carbidopa-levodopa, entacapone, levodopa, pergolide mesylate,pramipexole dihydrochloride, ropinirole hydrochloride, selegilinehydrochloride, tolcapone, and trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride. The atleast one miscellaneous central nervous system drug can be at least oneselected from bupropion hydrochloride, donepezil hydrochloride,droperidol, fluvoxamine maleate, lithium carbonate, lithium citrate,naratriptan hydrochloride, nicotine polacrilex, nicotine transdermalsystem, propofol, rizatriptan benzoate, sibutramine hydrochloridemonohydrate, sumatriptan succinate, tacrine hydrochloride, andzolmitriptan. (See, e.g., pp. 337-530 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one cholinergic (e.g., parasymathomimetic) can be at leastone selected from bethanechol chloride, edrophonium chloride,neostigmine bromide, neostigmine methylsulfate, physostigminesalicylate, and pyridostigmine bromide. The at least one anticholinergiccan be at least one selected from atropine sulfate, dicyclominehydrochloride, glycopyrrolate, hyoscyamine, hyoscyamine sulfate,propantheline bromide, scopolamine, scopolamine butylbromide, andscopolamine hydrobromide. The at least one adrenergic (sympathomimetics)can be at least one selected from dobutamine hydrochloride, dopaminehydrochloride, metaraminol bitartrate, norepinephrine bitartrate,phenylephrine hydrochloride, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, andpseudoephedrine sulfate. The at least one adrenergic blocker(sympatholytic) can be at least one selected from dihydroergotaminemesylate, ergotamine tartrate, methysergide maleate, and propranololhydrochloride. The at least one skeletal muscle relaxant can be at leastone selected from baclofen, carisoprodol, chlorzoxazone, cyclobenzaprinehydrochloride, dantrolene sodium, methocarbamol, and tizanidinehydrochloride. The at least one neuromuscular blocker can be at leastone selected from atracurium besylate, cisatracurium besylate,doxacurium chloride, mivacurium chloride, pancuronium bromide,pipecuronium bromide, rapacuronium bromide, rocuronium bromide,succinylcholine chloride, tubocurarine chloride, and vecuronium bromide.(See, e.g., pp. 531-84 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one antihistamine can be at least one selected frombrompheniramine maleate, cetirizine hydrochloride, chlorpheniraminemaleate, clemastine fumarate, cyproheptadine hydrochloride,diphenhydramine hydrochloride, fexofenadine hydrochloride, loratadine,promethazine hydrochloride, promethazine theoclate, and triprolidinehydrochloride. The at least one bronchodilator can be at least oneselected from albuterol, albuterol sulfate, aminophylline, atropinesulfate, ephedrine sulfate, epinephrine, epinephrine bitartrate,epinephrine hydrochloride, ipratropium bromide, isoproterenol,isoproterenol hydrochloride, isoproterenol sulfate, levalbuterolhydrochloride, metaproterenol sulfate, oxtriphylline, pirbuterolacetate, salmeterol xinafoate, terbutaline sulfate, and theophylline.The at least one expectorant or antitussive can be at least one selectedfrom benzonatate, codeine phosphate, codeine sulfate, dextramethorphanhydrobromide, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, guaifenesin, andhydromorphone hydrochloride. The at least one miscellaneous respiratorydrug can be at least one selected from acetylcysteine, beclomethasonedipropionate, beractant, budesonide, calfactant, cromolyn sodium,dornase alfa, epoprostenol sodium, flunisolide, fluticasone propionate,montelukast sodium, nedocromil sodium, palivizumab, triamcinoloneacetonide, zafirlukast, and zileuton. (See, e.g., pp. 585-642 of Nursing2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one antacid, adsorbent, or antiflatulent can be at leastone selected from aluminum carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, calciumcarbonate, magaldrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide,simethicone, and sodium bicarbonate. The at least one digestive enzymeor gallstone solubilizer can be at least one selected from pancreatin,pancrelipase, and ursodiol. The at least one antidiarrheal can be atleast one selected from attapulgite, bismuth subsalicylate, calciumpolycarbophil, diphenoxylate hydrochloride and atropine sulfate,loperamide, octreotide acetate, opium tincture, and opium tincure(camphorated). The at least one laxative can be at least one selectedfrom bisocodyl, calcium polycarbophil, cascara sagrada, cascara sagradaaromatic fluidextract, cascara sagrada fluidextract, castor oil,docusate calcium, docusate sodium, glycerin, lactulose, magnesiumcitrate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, methylcellulose,mineral oil, polyethylene glycol or electrolyte solution, psyllium,senna, and sodium phosphates. The at least one antiemetic can be atleast one selected from chlorpromazine hydrochloride, dimenhydrinate,dolasetron mesylate, dronabinol, granisetron hydrochloride, meclizinehydrochloride, metocloproamide hydrochloride, ondansetron hydrochloride,perphenazine, prochlorperazine, prochlorperazine edisylate,prochlorperazine maleate, promethazine hydrochloride, scopolamine,thiethylperazine maleate, and trimethobenzamide hydrochloride. The atleast one antiulcer drug can be at least one selected from cimetidine,cimetidine hydrochloride, famotidine, lansoprazole, misoprostol,nizatidine, omeprazole, rabeprozole sodium, rantidine bismuth citrate,ranitidine hydrochloride, and sucralfate. (See, e.g., pp. 643-95 ofNursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one corticosteroid can be at least one selected frombetamethasone, betamethasone acetate or betamethasone sodium phosphate,betamethasone sodium phosphate, cortisone acetate, dexamethasone,dexamethasone acetate, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, fludrocortisoneacetate, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisonecypionate, hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, hydrocortisone sodiumsuccinate, methylprednisolone, methylprednisolone acetate,methylprednisolone sodium succinate, prednisolone, prednisolone acetate,prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisolone tebutate, prednisone,triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, and triamcinolone diacetate. Theat least one androgen or anabolic steroid can be at least one selectedfrom danazol, fluoxymesterone, methyltestosterone, nandrolone decanoate,nandrolone phenpropionate, testosterone, testosterone cypionate,testosterone enanthate, testosterone propionate, and testosteronetransdermal system. The at least one estrogen or progestin can be atleast one selected from esterified estrogens, estradiol, estradiolcypionate, estradiol/norethindrone acetate transdermal system, estradiolvalerate, estrogens (conjugated), estropipate, ethinyl estradiol,ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel, ethinyl estradiol and ethynodioldiacetate, ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel, ethinyl estradiol andethynodiol diacetate, ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, ethinylestradiol and norethindrone, ethinyl estradiol and norethindroneacetate, ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate, ethinyl estradiol andnorgestrel, ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone and acetate and ferrousfumarate, levonorgestrel, medroxyprogesterone acetate, mestranol andnorethindron, norethindrone, norethindrone acetate, norgestrel, andprogesterone. The at least one gonadroptropin can be at least oneselected from ganirelix acetate, gonadoreline acetate, histrelinacetate, and menotropins. The at least one antidiabetic or glucaon canbe at least one selected from acarbose, chlorpropamide, glimepiride,glipizide, glucagon, glyburide, insulins, metformin hydrochloride,miglitol, pioglitazone hydrochloride, repaglinide, rosiglitazonemaleate, and troglitazone. The at least one thyroid hormone can be atleast one selected from levothyroxine sodium, liothyronine sodium,liotrix, and thyroid. The at least one thyroid hormone antagonist can beat least one selected from methimazole, potassium iodide, potassiumiodide (saturated solution), propylthiouracil, radioactive iodine(sodium iodide ¹³¹I), and strong iodine solution. The at least onepituitary hormone can be at least one selected from corticotropin,cosyntropin, desmophressin acetate, leuprolide acetate, repositorycorticotropin, somatrem, somatropin, and vasopressin. The at least oneparathyroid-like drug can be at least one selected from calcifediol,calcitonin (human), calcitonin (salmon), calcitriol, dihydrotachysterol,and etidronate disodium. (See, e.g., pp. 696-796 of Nursing 2001 DrugHandbook.)

The at least one diuretic can be at least one selected fromacetazolamide, acetazolamide sodium, amiloride hydrochloride,bumetanide, chlorthalidone, ethacrynate sodium, ethacrynic acid,furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, mannitol, metolazone,spironolactone, torsemide, triamterene, and urea. The at least oneelectrolyte or replacement solution can be at least one selected fromcalcium acetate, calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, calcium citrate,calcium glubionate, calcium gluceptate, calcium gluconate, calciumlactate, calcium phosphate (dibasic), calcium phosphate (tribasic),dextran (high-molecular-weight), dextran (low-molecular-weight),hetastarch, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium acetate,potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, potassium gluconate, Ringer'sinjection, Ringer's injection (lactated), and sodium chloride. The atleast one acidifier or alkalinizer can be at least one selected fromsodium bicarbonate, sodium lactate, and tromethamine. (See, e.g., pp.797-833 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one hematinic can be at least one selected from ferrousfumarate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous sulfate (dried),iron dextran, iron sorbitol, polysaccharide-iron complex, and sodiumferric gluconate complex. The at least one anticoagulant can be at leastone selected from ardeparin sodium, dalteparin sodium, danaparoidsodium, enoxaparin sodium, heparin calcium, heparin sodium, and warfarinsodium. The at least one blood derivative can be at least one selectedfrom albumin 5%, albumin 25%, antihemophilic factor, anti-inhibitorcoagulant complex, antithrombin III (human), factor IX (human), factorIX complex, and plasma protein fractions. The at least one thrombolyticenzyme can be at least one selected from alteplase, anistreplase,reteplase (recombinant), streptokinase, and urokinase. (See, e.g., pp.834-66 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one alkylating drug can be at least one selected frombusulfan, carboplatin, carmustine, chlorambucil, cisplatin,cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, lomustine, mechlorethamine hydrochloride,melphalan, melphalan hydrochloride, streptozocin, temozolomide, andthiotepa. The at least one antimetabolite can be at least one selectedfrom capecitabine, cladribine, cytarabine, floxuridine, fludarabinephosphate, fluorouracil, hydroxyurea, mercaptopurine, methotrexate,methotrexate sodium, and thioguanine. The at least one antibioticantineoplastic can be at least one selected from bleomycin sulfate,dactinomycin, daunorubicin citrate liposomal, daunorubicinhydrochloride, doxorubicin hydrochloride, doxorubicin hydrochlorideliposomal, epirubicin hydrochloride, idarubicin hydrochloride,mitomycin, pentostatin, plicamycin, and valrubicin. The at least oneantineoplastic that alters hormone balance can be at least one selectedfrom anastrozole, bicalutamide, estramustine phosphate sodium,exemestane, flutamide, goserelin acetate, letrozole, leuprolide acetate,megestrol acetate, nilutamide, tamoxifen citrate, testolactone, andtoremifene citrate. The at least one miscellaneous antineoplastic can beat least one selected from asparaginase, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)(live intravesical), dacarbazine, docetaxel, etoposide, etoposidephosphate, gemcitabine hydrochloride, irinotecan hydrochloride,mitotane, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, paclitaxel, pegaspargase, porfimersodium, procarbazine hydrochloride, rituximab, teniposide, topotecanhydrochloride, trastuzumab, tretinoin, vinblastine sulfate, vincristinesulfate, and vinorelbine tartrate. (See, e.g., pp. 867-963 of Nursing2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one immunosuppressant can be at least one selected fromazathioprine, basiliximab, cyclosporine, daclizumab, lymphocyte immuneglobulin, muromonab-CD3, mycophenolate mofetil, mycophenolate mofetilhydrochloride, sirolimus, and tacrolimus. The at least one vaccine ortoxoid can be at least one selected from BCG vaccine, cholera vaccine,diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (adsorbed), diphtheria and tetanustoxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed, diphtheria and tetanustoxoids and whole-cell pertussis vaccine, Haemophilius b conjugatevaccines, hepatitis A vaccine (inactivated), hepatisis B vaccine(recombinant), influenza virus vaccine 1999-2000 trivalent types A & B(purified surface antigen), influenza virus vaccine 1999-2000 trivalenttypes A & B (subvirion or purified subvirion), influenza virus vaccine1999-2000 trivalent types A & B (whole virion), Japanese encephalitisvirus vaccine (inactivated), Lyme disease vaccine (recombinant OspA),measles and mumps and rubella virus vaccine (live), measles and mumpsand rubella virus vaccine (live attenuated), measles virus vaccine (liveattenuated), meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, mumps virus vaccine(live), plague vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine (polyvalent), poliovirusvaccine (inactivated), poliovirus vaccine (live, oral, trivalent),rabies vaccine (adsorbed), rabies vaccine (human diploid cell), rubellaand mumps virus vaccine (live), rubella virus vaccine (live,attenuated), tetanus toxoid (adsorbed), tetanus toxoid (fluid), typhoidvaccine (oral), typhoid vaccine (parenteral), typhoid Vi polysaccharidevaccine, varicella virus vaccine, and yellow fever vaccine. The at leastone antitoxin or antivenin can be at least one selected from black widowspider antivenin, Crotalidae antivenom (polyvalent), diphtheriaantitoxin (equine), and Micrurus fulvius antivenin. The at least oneimmune serum can be at least one selected from cytomegalovirus immuneglobulin (intravenous), hepatitis B immune globulin (human), immuneglobulin intramuscular, immune globulin intravenous, rabies immuneglobulin (human), respiratory syncytial virus immune globulinintravenous (human), Rh₀(D) immune globulin (human), Rh₀(D) immuneglobulin intravenous (human), tetanus immune globulin (human), andvaricella-zoster immune globulin. The at least one biological responsemodifier can be at least one selected from aldesleukin, epoetin alfa,filgrastim, glatiramer acetate for injection, interferon alfacon-1,interferon alfa-2a (recombinant), interferon alfa-2b (recombinant),interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b (recombinant), interferongamma-1b, levamisole hydrochloride, oprelvekin, and sargramostim. (See,e.g., pp. 964-1040 of Nursing 2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one ophthalmic anti-infective can be selected formbacitracin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, erythromycin,gentamicin sulfate, ofloxacin 0.3%, polymyxin B sulfate, sulfacetamidesodium 10%, sulfacetamide sodium 15%, sulfacetamide sodium 30%,tobramycin, and vidarabine. The at least one ophthalmicanti-inflammatory can be at least one selected from dexamethasone,dexamethasone sodium phosphate, diclofenac sodium 0.1%, fluorometholone,flurbiprofen sodium, ketorolac tromethamine, prednisolone acetate(suspension) and prednisolone sodium phosphate (solution). The at leastone miotic can be at least one selected from acetylocholine chloride,carbachol (intraocular), carbachol (topical), echothiophate iodide,pilocarpine, pilocarpine hydrochloride, and pilocarpine nitrate. The atleast one mydriatic can be at least one selected from atropine sulfate,cyclopentolate hydrochloride, epinephrine hydrochloride, epinephrylborate, homatropine hydrobromide, phenylephrine hydrochloride,scopolamine hydrobromide, and tropicamide. The at least one ophthalmicvasoconstrictor can be at least one selected from naphazolinehydrochloride, oxymetazoline hydrochloride, and tetrahydrozolinehydrochloride. The at least one miscellaneous ophthalmic can be at leastone selected from apraclonidine hydrochloride, betaxolol hydrochloride,brimonidine tartrate, carteolol hydrochloride, dipivefrin hydrochloride,dorzolamide hydrochloride, emedastine difumarate, fluorescein sodium,ketotifen fumarate, latanoprost, levobunolol hydrochloride, metipranololhydrochloride, sodium chloride (hypertonic), and timolol maleate. The atleast one otic can be at least one selected from boric acid, carbamideperoxide, chloramphenicol, and triethanolamine polypeptideoleate-condensate. The at least one nasal drug can be at least oneselected from beclomethasone dipropionate, budesonide, ephedrinesulfate, epinephrine hydrochloride, flunisolide, fluticasone propionate,naphazoline hydrochloride, oxymetazoline hydrochloride, phenylephrinehydrochloride, tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride, triamcinolone acetonide,and xylometazoline hydrochloride. (See, e.g., pp. 1041-97 of Nursing2001 Drug Handbook.)

The at least one local anti-infective can be at least one selected fromacyclovir, amphotericin B, azelaic acid cream, bacitracin, butoconazolenitrate, clindamycin phosphate, clotrimazole, econazole nitrate,erythromycin, gentamicin sulfate, ketoconazole, mafenide acetate,metronidazole (topical), miconazole nitrate, mupirocin, naftifinehydrochloride, neomycin sulfate, nitrofurazone, nystatin, silversulfadiazine, terbinafine hydrochloride, terconazole, tetracyclinehydrochloride, tioconazole, and tolnaftate. The at least one scabicideor pediculicide can be at least one selected from crotamiton, lindane,permethrin, and pyrethrins. The at least one topical corticosteroid canbe at least one selected from betamethasone dipropionate, betamethasonevalerate, clobetasol propionate, desonide, desoximetasone,dexamethasone, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, diflorasone diacetate,fluocinolone acetonide, fluocinonide, flurandrenolide, fluticasonepropionate, halcionide, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate,hydrocortisone butyrate, hydrocorisone valerate, mometasone furoate, andtriamcinolone acetonide. (See, e.g., pp. 1098-1136 of Nursing 2001 DrugHandbook.)

The at least one vitamin or mineral can be at least one selected fromvitamin A, vitamin B complex, cyanocobalamin, folic acid,hydroxocobalamin, leucovorin calcium, niacin, niacinamide, pyridoxinehydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine hydrochloride, vitamin C, vitamin D,cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol, vitamin D analogue, doxercalciferol,paricalcitol, vitamin E, vitamin K analogue, phytonadione, sodiumfluoride, sodium fluoride (topical), trace elements, chromium, copper,iodine, manganese, selenium, and zinc. The at least one caloric can beat least one selected from amino acid infusions (crystalline), aminoacid infusions in dextrose, amino acid infusions with electrolytes,amino acid infusions with electrolytes in dextrose, amino acid infusionsfor hepatic failure, amino acid infusions for high metabolic stress,amino acid infusions for renal failure, dextrose, fat emulsions, andmedium-chain triglycerides. (See, e.g., pp. 1137-63 of Nursing 2001 DrugHandbook.)

Anti-IL-23p19 antibody compositions of the present invention can furthercomprise at least one of any suitable and effective amount of acomposition or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody contacted or administered to a cell, tissue,organ, animal or patient in need of such modulation, treatment ortherapy, optionally further comprising at least one selected from atleast one TNF antagonist (e.g., but not limited to a TNF chemical orprotein antagonist, TNF monoclonal or polyclonal antibody or fragment, asoluble TNF receptor (e.g., p55, p70 or p85) or fragment, fusionpolypeptides thereof, or a small molecule TNF antagonist, e.g., TNFbinding protein I or II (TBP-1 or TBP-II), nerelimonmab, infliximab,etanercept, CDP-571, CDP-870, afelimomab, lenercept, and the like), anantirheumatic (e.g., methotrexate, auranofin, aurothioglucose,azathioprine, etanercept, gold sodium thiomalate, hydroxychloroquinesulfate, leflunomide, sulfasalzine), a muscle relaxant, a narcotic, anon-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an analgesic, an anesthetic,a sedative, a local anethetic, a neuromuscular blocker, an antimicrobial(e.g., aminoglycoside, an antifungal, an antiparasitic, an antiviral, acarbapenem, cephalosporin, a flurorquinolone, a macrolide, a penicillin,a sulfonamide, a tetracycline, another antimicrobial), an antipsoriatic,a corticosteriod, an anabolic steroid, a diabetes related agent, amineral, a nutritional, a thyroid agent, a vitamin, a calcium relatedhormone, an antidiarrheal, an antitussive, an antiemetic, an antiulcer,a laxative, an anticoagulant, an erythropoietin (e.g., epoetin alpha), afilgrastim (e.g., G-CSF, Neupogen), a sargramostim (GM-CSF, Leukine), animmunization, an immunoglobulin, an immunosuppressive (e.g.,basiliximab, cyclosporine, daclizumab), a growth hormone, a hormonereplacement drug, an estrogen receptor modulator, a mydriatic, acycloplegic, an alkylating agent, an antimetabolite, a mitoticinhibitor, a radiopharmaceutical, an antidepressant, antimanic agent, anantipsychotic, an anxiolytic, a hypnotic, a sympathomimetic, astimulant, donepezil, tacrine, an asthma medication, a beta agonist, aninhaled steroid, a leukotriene inhibitor, a methylxanthine, a cromolyn,an epinephrine or analog, dornase alpha (Pulmozyme), a cytokine or acytokine antagonist. Non-limiting examples of such cytokines include,but are not limted to, any of IL-1 to IL-28 (e.g., IL-1, IL-2, etc.).Suitable dosages are well known in the art. See, e.g., Wells et al.,eds., Pharmacotherapy Handbook, 2^(nd) Edition, Appleton and Lange,Stamford, Conn. (2000); PDR Pharmacopoeia, Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia2000, Deluxe Edition, Tarascon Publishing, Loma Linda, Calif. (2000),each of which references are entirely incorporated herein by reference.

Such anti-cancer or anti-infectives can also include toxin moleculesthat are associated, bound, co-formulated or co-administered with atleast one antibody of the present invention. The toxin can optionallyact to selectively kill the pathologic cell or tissue. The pathologiccell can be a cancer or other cell. Such toxins can be, but are notlimited to, purified or recombinant toxin or toxin fragment comprisingat least one functional cytotoxic domain of toxin, e.g., selected fromat least one of ricin, diphtheria toxin, a venom toxin, or a bacterialtoxin. The term toxin also includes both endotoxins and exotoxinsproduced by any naturally occurring, mutant or recombinant bacteria orviruses which may cause any pathological condition in humans and othermammals, including toxin shock, which can result in death. Such toxinsmay include, but are not limited to, enterotoxigenic E. coli heat-labileenterotoxin (LT), heat-stable enterotoxin (ST), Shigella cytotoxin,Aeromonas enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1),Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), B (SEB), or C (SEC), Streptococcalenterotoxins and the like. Such bacteria include, but are not limitedto, strains of a species of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC),enterohemorrhagic E. coli (e.g., strains of serotype O157:H7),Staphylococcus species (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcuspyogenes), Shigella species (e.g., Shigella dysenteriae, Shigellaflexneri, Shigella boydii, and Shigella sonnei), Salmonella species(e.g., Salmonella typhi, Salmonella cholera-suis, Salmonellaenteritidis), Clostridium species (e.g., Clostridium perfringens,Clostridium dificile, Clostridium botulinum), Camphlobacter species(e.g., Camphlobacter jejuni, Camphlobacter fetus), Heliobacter species,(e.g., Heliobacter pylori), Aeromonas species (e.g., Aeromonas sobria,Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas caviae), Pleisomonas shigelloides,Yersina enterocolitica, Vibrios species (e.g., Vibrios cholerae, Vibriosparahemolyticus), Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, andStreptococci. See, e.g., Stein, ed., INTERNAL MEDICINE, 3rd ed., pp1-13, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, (1990); Evans et al., eds.,Bacterial Infections of Humans: Epidemiology and Control, 2d. Ed., pp239-254, Plenum Medical Book Co., New York (1991); Mandell et al,Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 3d. Ed., ChurchillLivingstone, New York (1990); Berkow et al, eds., The Merck Manual, 16thedition, Merck and Co., Rahway, N.J., 1992; Wood et al, FEMSMicrobiology Immunology, 76:121-134 (1991); Marrack et al, Science,248:705-711 (1990), the contents of which references are incorporatedentirely herein by reference.

Anti-IL-23p19 antibody compounds, compositions or combinations of thepresent invention can further comprise at least one of any suitableauxiliary, such as, but not limited to, diluent, binder, stabilizer,buffers, salts, lipophilic solvents, preservative, adjuvant or the like.Pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliaries are preferred. Non-limitingexamples of, and methods of preparing such sterile solutions are wellknown in the art, such as, but limited to, Gennaro, Ed., Remington'sPharmaceutical Sciences, 18^(th) Edition, Mack Publishing Co. (Easton,Pa.) 1990. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers can be routinelyselected that are suitable for the mode of administration, solubilityand/or stability of the anti-IL-23p19 antibody, fragment or variantcomposition as well known in the art or as described herein.

Pharmaceutical excipients and additives useful in the presentcomposition include, but are not limited to, proteins, peptides, aminoacids, lipids, and carbohydrates (e.g., sugars, includingmonosaccharides, di-, tri-, tetra-, and oligosaccharides; derivatizedsugars, such as alditols, aldonic acids, esterified sugars and the like;and polysaccharides or sugar polymers), which can be present singly orin combination, comprising alone or in combination 1-99.99% by weight orvolume. Exemplary protein excipients include serum albumin, such ashuman serum albumin (HSA), recombinant human albumin (rHA), gelatin,casein, and the like. Representative amino acid/antibody components,which can also function in a buffering capacity, include alanine,glycine, arginine, betaine, histidine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid,cysteine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine,phenylalanine, aspartame, and the like. One preferred amino acid isglycine.

Carbohydrate excipients suitable for use in the invention include, forexample, monosaccharides, such as fructose, maltose, galactose, glucose,D-mannose, sorbose, and the like; disaccharides, such as lactose,sucrose, trehalose, cellobiose, and the like; polysaccharides, such asraffinose, melezitose, maltodextrins, dextrans, starches, and the like;and alditols, such as mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, xylitolsorbitol (glucitol), myoinositol and the like. Preferred carbohydrateexcipients for use in the present invention are mannitol, trehalose, andraffinose.

Anti-IL-23p19 antibody compositions can also include a buffer or a pHadjusting agent; typically, the buffer is a salt prepared from anorganic acid or base. Representative buffers include organic acid salts,such as salts of citric acid, ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, carbonicacid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, or phthalic acid; Tris,tromethamine hydrochloride, or phosphate buffers. Preferred buffers foruse in the present compositions are organic acid salts, such as citrate.

Additionally, anti-IL-23p19 antibody compositions of the invention caninclude polymeric excipients/additives, such as polyvinylpyrrolidones,ficolls (a polymeric sugar), dextrates (e.g., cyclodextrins, such as2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin), polyethylene glycols, flavoring agents,antimicrobial agents, sweeteners, antioxidants, antistatic agents,surfactants (e.g., polysorbates, such as “TWEEN 20” and “TWEEN 80”),lipids (e.g., phospholipids, fatty acids), steroids (e.g., cholesterol),and chelating agents (e.g., EDTA).

These and additional known pharmaceutical excipients and/or additivessuitable for use in the anti-IL-23p19 antibody, portion or variantcompositions according to the invention are known in the art, e.g., aslisted in “Remington: The Science & Practice of Pharmacy”, 19^(th) ed.,Williams & Williams, (1995), and in the “Physician's Desk Reference”,52^(nd) ed., Medical Economics, Montvale, N.J. (1998), the disclosuresof which are entirely incorporated herein by reference. Preferredcarrier or excipient materials are carbohydrates (e.g., saccharides andalditols) and buffers (e.g., citrate) or polymeric agents. An exemplarycarrier molecule is the mucopolysaccharide, hyaluronic acid, which maybe useful for intraarticular delivery.

Formulations

As noted above, the invention provides for stable formulations, whichpreferably comprise a phosphate buffer with saline or a chosen salt, aswell as preserved solutions and formulations containing a preservativeas well as multi-use preserved formulations suitable for pharmaceuticalor veterinary use, comprising at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody in apharmaceutically acceptable formulation. Preserved formulations containat least one known preservative or optionally selected from the groupconsisting of at least one phenol, m-cresol, p-cresol, o-cresol,chlorocresol, benzyl alcohol, phenylmercuric nitrite, phenoxyethanol,formaldehyde, chlorobutanol, magnesium chloride (e.g., hexahydrate),alkylparaben (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and the like), benzalkoniumchloride, benzethonium chloride, sodium dehydroacetate and thimerosal,polymers, or mixtures thereof in an aqueous diluent. Any suitableconcentration or mixture can be used as known in the art, such as about0.0015%, or any range, value, or fraction therein. Non-limiting examplesinclude, no preservative, about 0.1-2% m-cresol (e.g., 0.2, 0.3. 0.4,0.5, 0.9, 1.0%), about 0.1-3% benzyl alcohol (e.g., 0.5, 0.9, 1.1, 1.5,1.9, 2.0, 2.5%), about 0.001-0.5% thimerosal (e.g., 0.005, 0.01), about0.001-2.0% phenol (e.g., 0.05, 0.25, 0.28, 0.5, 0.9, 1.0%), 0.0005-1.0%alkylparaben(s) (e.g., 0.00075, 0.0009, 0.001, 0.002, 0.005, 0.0075,0.009, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.075, 0.09, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 0.9,1.0%), and the like.

As noted above, the invention provides an article of manufacture,comprising packaging material and at least one vial comprising asolution of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody with the prescribedbuffers and/or preservatives, optionally in an aqueous diluent, whereinsaid packaging material comprises a label that indicates that suchsolution can be held over a period of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 18, 20,24, 30, 36, 40, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72 hours or greater. The inventionfurther comprises an article of manufacture, comprising packagingmaterial, a first vial comprising lyophilized at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody, and a second vial comprising an aqueous diluent of prescribedbuffer or preservative, wherein said packaging material comprises alabel that instructs a patient to reconstitute the at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody in the aqueous diluent to form a solution thatcan be held over a period of twenty-four hours or greater.

The at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody used in accordance with thepresent invention can be produced by recombinant means, including frommammalian cell or transgenic preparations, or can be purified from otherbiological sources, as described herein or as known in the art.

The range of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody in the product of thepresent invention includes amounts yielding upon reconstitution, if in awet/dry system, concentrations from about 1.0 μg/ml to about 1000 mg/ml,although lower and higher concentrations are operable and are dependenton the intended delivery vehicle, e.g., solution formulations willdiffer from transdermal patch, pulmonary, transmucosal, or osmotic ormicro pump methods.

Preferably, the aqueous diluent optionally further comprises apharmaceutically acceptable preservative. Preferred preservativesinclude those selected from the group consisting of phenol, m-cresol,p-cresol, o-cresol, chlorocresol, benzyl alcohol, alkylparaben (methyl,ethyl, propyl, butyl and the like), benzalkonium chloride, benzethoniumchloride, sodium dehydroacetate and thimerosal, or mixtures thereof. Theconcentration of preservative used in the formulation is a concentrationsufficient to yield an anti-microbial effect. Such concentrations aredependent on the preservative selected and are readily determined by theskilled artisan.

Other excipients, e.g., isotonicity agents, buffers, antioxidants, andpreservative enhancers, can be optionally and preferably added to thediluent. An isotonicity agent, such as glycerin, is commonly used atknown concentrations. A physiologically tolerated buffer is preferablyadded to provide improved pH control. The formulations can cover a widerange of pHs, such as from about pH 4 to about pH 10, and preferredranges from about pH 5 to about pH 9, and a most preferred range ofabout 6.0 to about 8.0. Preferably, the formulations of the presentinvention have a pH between about 6.8 and about 7.8. Preferred buffersinclude phosphate buffers, most preferably, sodium phosphate,particularly, phosphate buffered saline (PBS).

Other additives, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable solubilizers likeTween 20 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate), Tween 40(polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate), Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monooleate), Pluronic F68 (polyoxyethylenepolyoxypropylene block copolymers), and PEG (polyethylene glycol) ornon-ionic surfactants, such as polysorbate 20 or 80 or poloxamer 184 or188, Pluronic® polyols, other block co-polymers, and chelators, such asEDTA and EGTA, can optionally be added to the formulations orcompositions to reduce aggregation. These additives are particularlyuseful if a pump or plastic container is used to administer theformulation. The presence of pharmaceutically acceptable surfactantmitigates the propensity for the protein to aggregate.

The formulations of the present invention can be prepared by a processwhich comprises mixing at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody and apreservative selected from the group consisting of phenol, m-cresol,p-cresol, o-cresol, chlorocresol, benzyl alcohol, alkylparaben, (methyl,ethyl, propyl, butyl and the like), benzalkonium chloride, benzethoniumchloride, sodium dehydroacetate and thimerosal or mixtures thereof in anaqueous diluent. Mixing the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody andpreservative in an aqueous diluent is carried out using conventionaldissolution and mixing procedures. To prepare a suitable formulation,for example, a measured amount of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody inbuffered solution is combined with the desired preservative in abuffered solution in quantities sufficient to provide the protein andpreservative at the desired concentrations. Variations of this processwould be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example,the order the components are added, whether additional additives areused, the temperature and pH at which the formulation is prepared, areall factors that can be optimized for the concentration and means ofadministration used.

The claimed formulations can be provided to patients as clear solutionsor as dual vials comprising a vial of lyophilized at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody that is reconstituted with a second vialcontaining water, a preservative and/or excipients, preferably, aphosphate buffer and/or saline and a chosen salt, in an aqueous diluent.Either a single solution vial or dual vial requiring reconstitution canbe reused multiple times and can suffice for a single or multiple cyclesof patient treatment and thus can provide a more convenient treatmentregimen than currently available.

The present claimed articles of manufacture are useful foradministration over a period ranging from immediate to twenty-four hoursor greater. Accordingly, the presently claimed articles of manufactureoffer significant advantages to the patient. Formulations of theinvention can optionally be safely stored at temperatures of from about2° C. to about 40° C. and retain the biological activity of the proteinfor extended periods of time, thus allowing a package label indicatingthat the solution can be held and/or used over a period of 6, 12, 18,24, 36, 48, 72, or 96 hours or greater. If preserved diluent is used,such label can include use up to 1-12 months, one-half, one and a half,and/or two years.

The solutions of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody of the inventioncan be prepared by a process that comprises mixing at least one antibodyin an aqueous diluent. Mixing is carried out using conventionaldissolution and mixing procedures. To prepare a suitable diluent, forexample, a measured amount of at least one antibody in water or bufferis combined in quantities sufficient to provide the protein and,optionally, a preservative or buffer at the desired concentrations.Variations of this process would be recognized by one of ordinary skillin the art. For example, the order the components are added, whetheradditional additives are used, the temperature and pH at which theformulation is prepared, are all factors that can be optimized for theconcentration and means of administration used.

The claimed products can be provided to patients as clear solutions oras dual vials comprising a vial of lyophilized at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody that is reconstituted with a second vialcontaining the aqueous diluent. Either a single solution vial or dualvial requiring reconstitution can be reused multiple times and cansuffice for a single or multiple cycles of patient treatment and thusprovides a more convenient treatment regimen than currently available.

The claimed products can be provided indirectly to patients by providingto pharmacies, clinics, or other such institutions and facilities, clearsolutions or dual vials comprising a vial of lyophilized at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody that is reconstituted with a second vialcontaining the aqueous diluent. The clear solution in this case can beup to one liter or even larger in size, providing a large reservoir fromwhich smaller portions of the at least one antibody solution can beretrieved one or multiple times for transfer into smaller vials andprovided by the pharmacy or clinic to their customers and/or patients.

Recognized devices comprising single vial systems include pen-injectordevices for delivery of a solution, such as BD Pens, BD Autojector®,Humaject®, NovoPen®, B-D®Pen, AutoPen®, and OptiPen®, GenotropinPen®,Genotronorm Pen®, Humatro Pen®, Reco-Pen®, Roferon Pen®, Biojector®,Iject®, J-tip Needle-Free Injector®, Intraject®, Medi-Ject®, e.g., asmade or developed by Becton Dickensen (Franklin Lakes, N.J.,www.bectondickenson.com), Disetronic (Burgdorf, Switzerland,www.disetronic.com; Bioject, Portland, Oreg. (www.bioject.com); NationalMedical Products, Weston Medical (Peterborough, UK,www.weston-medical.com), Medi-Ject Corp (Minneapolis, Minn.,www.mediject.com), and similary suitable devices. Recognized devicescomprising a dual vial system include those pen-injector systems forreconstituting a lyophilized drug in a cartridge for delivery of thereconstituted solution, such as the HumatroPen®. Examples of otherdevices suitable include pre-filled syringes, auto-injectors, needlefree injectors and needle free IV infusion sets.

The products presently claimed include packaging material. The packagingmaterial provides, in addition to the information required by theregulatory agencies, the conditions under which the product can be used.The packaging material of the present invention provides instructions tothe patient to reconstitute the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody inthe aqueous diluent to form a solution and to use the solution over aperiod of 2-24 hours or greater for the two vial, wet/dry, product. Forthe single vial, solution product, the label indicates that suchsolution can be used over a period of 2-24 hours or greater.

The presently claimed products are useful for human pharmaceuticalproduct use.

The formulations of the present invention can be prepared by a processthat comprises mixing at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody and a selectedbuffer, preferably, a phosphate buffer containing saline or a chosensalt. Mixing the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody and buffer in anaqueous diluent is carried out using conventional dissolution and mixingprocedures. To prepare a suitable formulation, for example, a measuredamount of at least one antibody in water or buffer is combined with thedesired buffering agent in water in quantities sufficient to provide theprotein and buffer at the desired concentrations. Variations of thisprocess would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art. Forexample, the order the components are added, whether additionaladditives are used, the temperature and pH at which the formulation isprepared, are all factors that can be optimized for the concentrationand means of administration used.

The claimed stable or preserved formulations can be provided to patientsas clear solutions or as dual vials comprising a vial of lyophilized atleast one anti-IL-23p19 antibody that is reconstituted with a secondvial containing a preservative or buffer and excipients in an aqueousdiluent. Either a single solution vial or dual vial requiringreconstitution can be reused multiple times and can suffice for a singleor multiple cycles of patient treatment and thus provides a moreconvenient treatment regimen than currently available.

Other formulations or methods of stabilizing the anti-IL-23p19 antibodymay result in other than a clear solution of lyophilized powdercomprising the antibody. Among non-clear solutions are formulationscomprising particulate suspensions, said particulates being acomposition containing the anti-IL-23p19 antibody in a structure ofvariable dimension and known variously as a microsphere, microparticle,nanoparticle, nanosphere, or liposome. Such relatively homogenous,essentially spherical, particulate formulations containing an activeagent can be formed by contacting an aqueous phase containing the activeagent and a polymer and a nonaqueous phase followed by evaporation ofthe nonaqueous phase to cause the coalescence of particles from theaqueous phase as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,330. Porousmicroparticles can be prepared using a first phase containing activeagent and a polymer dispersed in a continuous solvent and removing saidsolvent from the suspension by freeze-drying ordilution-extraction-precipitation as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,542.Preferred polymers for such preparations are natural or syntheticcopolymers or polymers selected from the group consisting of gelatinagar, starch, arabinogalactan, albumin, collagen, polyglycolic acid,polylactic aced, glycolide-L(−) lactide poly(epsilon-caprolactone,poly(epsilon-caprolactone-CO-lactic acid),poly(epsilon-caprolactone-CO-glycolic acid), poly(8-hydroxy butyricacid), polyethylene oxide, polyethylene, poly(alkyl-2-cyanoacrylate),poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), polyamides, poly(amino acids),poly(2-hydroxyethyl DL-aspartamide), poly(ester urea),poly(L-phenylalanine/ethylene glycol/1,6-diisocyanatohexane) andpoly(methyl methacrylate). Particularly preferred polymers arepolyesters, such as polyglycolic acid, polylactic aced, glycolide-L(−)lactide poly(epsilon-caprolactone, poly(epsilon-caprolactone-CO-lacticacid), and poly(epsilon-caprolactone-CO-glycolic acid.

Solvents useful for dissolving the polymer and/or the active include:water, hexafluoroisopropanol, methylenechloride, tetrahydrofuran,hexane, benzene, or hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate. The process ofdispersing the active containing phase with a second phase may includepressure forcing said first phase through an orifice in a nozzle toaffect droplet formation.

Dry powder formulations may result from processes other thanlyophilization, such as by spray drying or solvent extraction byevaporation or by precipitation of a crystalline composition followed byone or more steps to remove aqueous or nonaqueous solvent. Preparationof a spray-dried antibody preparation is taught in U.S. Pat. No.6,019,968. The antibody-based dry powder compositions may be produced byspray drying solutions or slurries of the antibody and, optionally,excipients, in a solvent under conditions to provide a respirable drypowder. Solvents may include polar compounds, such as water and ethanol,which may be readily dried. Antibody stability may be enhanced byperforming the spray drying procedures in the absence of oxygen, such asunder a nitrogen blanket or by using nitrogen as the drying gas. Anotherrelatively dry formulation is a dispersion of a plurality of perforatedmicrostructures dispersed in a suspension medium that typicallycomprises a hydrofluoroalkane propellant as taught in WO 9916419. Thestabilized dispersions may be administered to the lung of a patientusing a metered dose inhaler. Equipment useful in the commercialmanufacture of spray dried medicaments are manufactured by Buchi Ltd. orNiro Corp.

At least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody in either the stable or preservedformulations or solutions described herein, can be administered to apatient in accordance with the present invention via a variety ofdelivery methods including SC or IM injection; transdermal, pulmonary,transmucosal, implant, osmotic pump, cartridge, micro pump, or othermeans appreciated by the skilled artisan, as well-known in the art.

Therapeutic Applications

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related disease, in a cell, tissue, organ, animal, orpatient, as known in the art or as described herein, using at least oneIL-23p19 antibody of the present invention, e.g., administering orcontacting the cell, tissue, organ, animal, or patient with atherapeutic effective amount of IL-23p19 antibody. The present inventionalso provides a method for modulating or treating at least one IL-23related disease, in a cell, tissue, organ, animal, or patient including,but not limited to, at least one of obesity, an immune related disease,a cardiovascular disease, an infectious disease, a malignant disease ora neurologic disease.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related immune related disease, in a cell, tissue,organ, animal, or patient including, but not limited to, at least one ofrheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, systemic onsetjuvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosingspondilitis, gastric ulcer, seronegative arthropathies, osteoarthritis,osteolysis, aseptic loosening of orthopedic implants, inflammatory boweldisease, ulcerative colitis, systemic lupus erythematosus,antiphospholipid syndrome, iridocyclitis/uveitis/optic neuritis,idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic vasculitis/wegener'sgranulomatosis, sarcoidosis, orchitis/vasectomy reversal procedures,allergic/atopic diseases, asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, allergiccontact dermatitis, allergic conjunctivitis, hypersensitivitypneumonitis, transplants, organ transplant rejection, graft-versus-hostdisease, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis syndrome, grampositive sepsis, gram negative sepsis, culture negative sepsis, fungalsepsis, neutropenic fever, urosepsis, meningococcemia,trauma/hemorrhage, burns, ionizing radiation exposure, acutepancreatitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis,alcohol-induced hepatitis, chronic inflammatory pathologies,sarcoidosis, Crohn's pathology, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, nephrosis,atopic diseases, hypersensitity reactions, allergic rhinitis, hay fever,perennial rhinitis, conjunctivitis, endometriosis, asthma, urticaria,systemic anaphalaxis, dermatitis, pernicious anemia, hemolyticdisesease, thrombocytopenia, graft rejection of any organ or tissue,kidney translplant rejection, heart transplant rejection, livertransplant rejection, pancreas transplant rejection, lung transplantrejection, bone marrow transplant (BMT) rejection, skin allograftrejection, cartilage transplant rejection, bone graft rejection, smallbowel transplant rejection, fetal thymus implant rejection, parathyroidtransplant rejection, xenograft rejection of any organ or tissue,allograft rejection, anti-receptor hypersensitivity reactions, Gravesdisease, Raynaud's disease, type B insulin-resistant diabetes, asthma,myasthenia gravis, antibody-meditated cytotoxicity, type IIIhypersensitivity reactions, POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy,organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changessyndrome), polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonalgammopathy, skin changes syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, pemphigus,scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, idiopathic Addison'sdisease, diabetes mellitus, chronic active hepatitis, primary billiarycirrhosis, vitiligo, vasculitis, post-MI cardiotomy syndrome, type IVhypersensitivity, contact dermatitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis,allograft rejection, granulomas due to intracellular organisms, drugsensitivity, metabolic/idiopathic, Wilson's disease, hemachromatosis,alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, diabetic retinopathy, hashimoto'sthyroiditis, osteoporosis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axisevaluation, primary biliary cirrhosis, thyroiditis, encephalomyelitis,cachexia, cystic fibrosis, neonatal chronic lung disease, chronicobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), familial hematophagocyticlymphohistiocytosis, dermatologic conditions, psoriasis, alopecia,nephrotic syndrome, nephritis, glomerular nephritis, acute renalfailure, hemodialysis, uremia, toxicity, preeclampsia, okt3 therapy,anti-cd3 therapy, cytokine therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy(e.g., including but not limited to, asthenia, anemia, cachexia, and thelike), chronic salicylate intoxication, and the like. See, e.g., theMerck Manual, 12th-17th Editions, Merck & Company, Rahway, N.J. (1972,1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1999), Pharmacotherapy Handbook, Wells et al.,eds., Second Edition, Appleton and Lange, Stamford, Conn. (1998, 2000),each entirely incorporated by reference.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one cardiovascular disease in a cell, tissue, organ, animal, orpatient, including, but not limited to, at least one of cardiac stunsyndrome, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke,ischemic stroke, hemorrhage, acute coronary syndrome, arteriosclerosis,atherosclerosis, restenosis, diabetic ateriosclerotic disease,hypertension, arterial hypertension, renovascular hypertension, syncope,shock, syphilis of the cardiovascular system, heart failure, corpulmonale, primary pulmonary hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, atrialectopic beats, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation (sustained orparoxysmal), post perfusion syndrome, cardiopulmonary bypassinflammation response, chaotic or multifocal atrial tachycardia, regularnarrow QRS tachycardia, specific arrythmias, ventricular fibrillation,His bundle arrythmias, atrioventricular block, bundle branch block,myocardial ischemic disorders, coronary artery disease, angina pectoris,myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, dilated congestivecardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, valvular heart diseases,endocarditis, pericardial disease, cardiac tumors, aordic and peripheralaneuryisms, aortic dissection, inflammation of the aorta, occlusion ofthe abdominal aorta and its branches, peripheral vascular disorders,occlusive arterial disorders, peripheral atherlosclerotic disease,thromboangitis obliterans, functional peripheral arterial disorders,Raynaud's phenomenon and disease, acrocyanosis, erythromelalgia, venousdiseases, venous thrombosis, varicose veins, arteriovenous fistula,lymphederma, lipedema, unstable angina, reperfusion injury, post pumpsyndrome, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and the like. Such a method canoptionally comprise administering an effective amount of a compositionor pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody to a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient in need of suchmodulation, treatment or therapy.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related infectious disease in a cell, tissue, organ,animal or patient, including, but not limited to, at least one of: acuteor chronic bacterial infection, acute and chronic parasitic orinfectious processes, including bacterial, viral and fungal infections,HIV infection/HIV neuropathy, meningitis, hepatitis (e.g., A, B or C, orthe like), septic arthritis, peritonitis, pneumonia, epiglottitis, E.coli 0157:h7, hemolytic uremic syndrome/thrombolytic thrombocytopenicpurpura, malaria, dengue hemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, leprosy,toxic shock syndrome, streptococcal myositis, gas gangrene,Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium intracellulare,Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, pelvic inflammatory disease,orchitis/epidydimitis, legionella, lyme disease, influenza a,epstein-barr virus, viral-associated hemaphagocytic syndrome, viralencephalitis/aseptic meningitis, and the like.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related malignant disease in a cell, tissue, organ,animal or patient, including, but not limited to, at least one of:leukemia, acute leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acutelymphocytic leukemia, B-cell, T-cell or FAB ALL, acute myeloid leukemia(AML), acute myelogenous leukemia, chromic myelocytic leukemia (CML),chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), hairy cell leukemia, myelodyplasticsyndrome (MDS), a lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, a malignamt lymphoma,non-hodgkin's lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Kaposi'ssarcoma, colorectal carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, nasopharyngealcarcinoma, malignant histiocytosis, paraneoplasticsyndrome/hypercalcemia of malignancy, solid tumors, bladder cancer,breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometiral cancer, head cancer, neckcancer, hereditary nonpolyposis cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, livercancer, lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer,pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, testicularcancer, adenocarcinomas, sarcomas, malignant melanoma, hemangioma,metastatic disease, cancer related bone resorption, cancer related bonepain, and the like.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related neurologic disease in a cell, tissue, organ,animal or patient, including, but not limited to, at least one of:neurodegenerative diseases, multiple sclerosis, migraine headache, AIDSdementia complex, demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis andacute transverse myelitis; extrapyramidal and cerebellar disorders, suchas lesions of the corticospinal system; disorders of the basal ganglia;hyperkinetic movement disorders, such as Huntington's Chorea and senilechorea; drug-induced movement disorders, such as those induced by drugswhich block CNS dopamine receptors; hypokinetic movement disorders, suchas Parkinson's disease; Progressive supranucleo Palsy; structurallesions of the cerebellum; spinocerebellar degenerations, such as spinalataxia, Friedreich's ataxia, cerebellar cortical degenerations, multiplesystems degenerations (Mencel, Dejerine-Thomas, Shi-Drager, andMachado-Joseph); systemic disorders (Refsum's disease,abetalipoprotemia, ataxia, telangiectasia, and mitochondrialmulti-system disorder); demyelinating core disorders, such as multiplesclerosis, acute transverse myelitis; and disorders of the motor unit,such as neurogenic muscular atrophies (anterior horn cell degeneration,such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, infantile spinal muscular atrophyand juvenile spinal muscular atrophy); Alzheimer's disease; Down'sSyndrome in middle age; Diffuse Lewy body disease; Senile Dementia ofLewy body type; Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome; chronic alcoholism;Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis,Hallerrorden-Spatz disease; Dementia pugilistica; neurotraumatic injury(e.g., spinal cord injury, brain injury, concussion, repetitiveconcussion); pain; inflammatory pain; autism; depression; stroke;cognitive disorders; epilepsy; and the like. Such a method canoptionally comprise administering an effective amount of a compositionor pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one TNF antibody orspecified portion or variant to a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patientin need of such modulation, treatment or therapy. See, e.g., the MerckManual, 16^(th) Edition, Merck & Company, Rahway, N.J. (1992).

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingat least one IL-23 related wound, trauma or tissue injury or relatedchronic condition, in a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient,including, but not limited to, at least one of: bodily injury or atrauma associated with oral surgery including periodontal surgery, toothextraction(s), endodontic treatment, insertion of tooth implants,application and use of tooth prosthesis; or wherein the wound isselected from the group consisting of aseptic wounds, contused wounds,incised wounds, lacerated wounds, non-penetrating wounds, open wounds,penetrating wounds, perforating wounds, puncture wounds, septic wounds,infarctions and subcutaneous wounds; or wherein the wound is selectedfrom the group consisting of ischemic ulcers, pressure sores, fistulae,severe bites, thermal burns and donor site wounds; or wherein the woundis an aphthous wound, a traumatic wound or a herpes associated wound.

Wounds and/or ulcers are normally found protruding from the skin or on amucosal surface or as a result of an infarction in an organ (“stroke”).A wound may be a result of a soft tissue defect or a lesion or of anunderlying condition. In the present context, the term “skin” relates tothe outermost surface of the body of an animal, including a human, andembraces intact or almost intact skin as well as an injured skinsurface. The term “mucosa” relates to undamaged or damaged mucosa of ananimal, such as a human, and may be the oral, buccal, aural, nasal,lung, eye, gastrointestinal, vaginal, or rectal mucosa.

In the present context the term “wound” denotes a bodily injury withdisruption of the normal integrity of tissue structures. The term isalso intended to encompass the terms “sore,” “lesion,” “necrosis,” and“ulcer.” Normally, the term “sore” is a popular term for almost anylesion of the skin or mucous membranes and the term “ulcer” is a localdefect, or excavation, of the surface of an organ or tissue, which isproduced by the sloughing of necrotic tissue. Lesion generally relatesto any tissue defect. Necrosis is related to dead tissue resulting frominfection, injury, inflammation or infarctions.

The term “wound” used in the present context denotes any wound (seebelow for a classification of wounds) and at any particular stage in thehealing process, including the stage before any healing has initiated oreven before a specific wound like a surgical incision is made(prophylactic treatment). Examples of wounds which can be preventedand/or treated in accordance with the present invention are, e.g.,aseptic wounds, contused wounds, incised wounds, lacerated wounds,non-penetrating wounds (i.e., wounds in which there is no disruption ofthe skin but there is injury to underlying structures), open wounds,penetrating wounds, perforating wounds, puncture wounds, septic wounds,subcutaneous wounds, etc. Examples of sores are bed sores, canker sores,chrome sores, cold sores, pressure sores, etc.

Examples of ulcers are, e.g., a peptic ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gastriculcer, gouty ulcer, diabetic ulcer, hypertensive ischemic ulcer, stasisulcer, ulcus cruris (venous ulcer), sublingual ulcer, submucous ulcer,symptomatic ulcer, trophic ulcer, tropical ulcer, and veneral ulcer,e.g., caused by gonorrhoea (including urethritis, endocervicitis andproctitis). Conditions related to wounds or sores which may besuccessfully treated according to the invention are burns, anthrax,tetanus, gas gangrene, scarlatina, erysipelas, sycosis barbae,folliculitis, impetigo contagiosa, or impetigo bullosa, etc. There isoften a certain overlap between the use of the terms “wound” and “ulcer”and “wound” and “sore” and, furthermore, the terms are often used atrandom. Therefore, as mentioned above, in the present context the term“wound” encompasses the terms “ulcer,” “lesion,” “sore” and“infarction,” and the terms are indiscriminately used unless otherwiseindicated.

The kinds of wounds to be treated according to the invention includealso

(i) general wounds, such as, e.g., surgical, traumatic, infectious,ischemic, thermal, chemical and bullous wounds;

(ii) wounds specific for the oral cavity, such as, e.g., post-extractionwounds, endodontic wounds especially in connection with treatment ofcysts and abscesses, ulcers and lesions of bacterial, viral orautoimmunological origin, mechanical, chemical, thermal, infectious andlichenoid wounds; herpes ulcers, stomatitis aphthosa, acute necrotisingulcerative gingivitis and burning mouth syndrome are specific examples;and (iii) wounds on the skin, such as, e.g., neoplasm, burns (e.g.chemical, thermal), lesions (bacterial, viral, autoimmunological), bitesand surgical incisions. Another way of classifying wounds is as (i)small tissue loss due to surgical incisions, minor abrasions and minorbites, or as (ii) significant tissue loss. The latter group includesischemic ulcers, pressure sores, fistulae, lacerations, severe bites,thermal burns and donor site wounds (in soft and hard tissues) andinfarctions.

Other wounds that are of importance in connection with the presentinvention are wounds like ischemic ulcers, pressure sores, fistulae,severe bites, thermal burns and donor site wounds. Ischemic ulcers andpressure sores are wounds which normally only heal very slowly andespecially in such cases, an improved and more rapid healing process isof course of great importance for the patient. Furthermore, the costsinvolved in the treatment of patients suffering from such wounds aremarkedly reduced when the healing is improved and takes place morerapidly.

Donor site wounds are wounds which, e.g., occur in connection withremoval of hard tissue from one part of the body to another part of thebody, e.g., in connection with transplantation. The wounds resultingfrom such operations are very painful and an improved healing istherefore most valuable. The term “skin” is used in a very broad senseembracing the epidermal layer of the skin and—in those cases where theskin surface is more or less injured—also the dermal layer of the skin.Apart from the stratum corneum, the epidermal layer of the skin is theouter (epithelial) layer and the deeper connective tissue layer of theskin is called the dermis.

The present invention also provides a method for modulating or treatingpsoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, andoptic neuritis, among the other diseases listed above as IL-23 related,in a cell, tissue, organ, animal, or patient including, but not limitedto, at least one of immune related disease, cardiovascular disease,infectious, malignant and/or neurologic disease. Such a method canoptionally comprise administering an effective amount of at least onecomposition or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody to a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient inneed of such modulation, treatment or therapy.

Any method of the present invention can comprise administering aneffective amount of a composition or pharmaceutical compositioncomprising at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody to a cell, tissue, organ,animal or patient in need of such modulation, treatment or therapy. Sucha method can optionally further comprise co-administration orcombination therapy for treating such diseases or disorders, wherein theadministering of said at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody, specifiedportion or variant thereof, further comprises administering, beforeconcurrently, and/or after, at least one selected from at least one TNFantagonist (e.g., but not limited to, a TNF chemical or proteinantagonist, TNF monoclonal or polyclonal antibody or fragment, a solubleTNF receptor (e.g., p55, p70 or p85) or fragment, fusion polypeptidesthereof, or a small molecule TNF antagonist, e.g., TNF binding protein Ior II (TBP-1 or TBP-II), nerelimonmab, infliximab, etanercept (Enbrel™),adalimulab (Humira™), CDP-571, CDP-870, afelimomab, lenercept, and thelike), an antirheumatic (e.g., methotrexate, auranofin, aurothioglucose,azathioprine, gold sodium thiomalate, hydroxychloroquine sulfate,leflunomide, sulfasalzine), a muscle relaxant, a narcotic, a non-steroidanti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an analgesic, an anesthetic, a sedative,a local anesthetic, a neuromuscular blocker, an antimicrobial (e.g.,aminoglycoside, an antifungal, an antiparasitic, an antiviral, acarbapenem, cephalosporin, a flurorquinolone, macrolide, a penicillin, asulfonamide, a tetracycline, another antimicrobial), an antipsoriatic, acorticosteriod, an anabolic steroid, a diabetes related agent, amineral, a nutritional, a thyroid agent, a vitamin, a calcium relatedhormone, an antidiarrheal, an antitussive, an antiemetic, an antiulcer,a laxative, an anticoagulant, an erythropoietin (e.g., epoetin alpha), afilgrastim (e.g., G-CSF, Neupogen), a sargramostim (GM-CSF, Leukine), animmunization, an immunoglobulin, an immunosuppressive (e.g.,basiliximab, cyclosporine, daclizumab), a growth hormone, a hormonereplacement drug, an estrogen receptor modulator, a mydriatic, acycloplegic, an alkylating agent, an antimetabolite, a mitoticinhibitor, a radiopharmaceutical, an antidepressant, antimanic agent, anantipsychotic, an anxiolytic, a hypnotic, a sympathomimetic, astimulant, donepezil, tacrine, an asthma medication, a beta agonist, aninhaled steroid, a leukotriene inhibitor, a methylxanthine, a cromolyn,an epinephrine or analog, dornase alpha (Pulmozyme), a cytokine or acytokine antagonist. Suitable dosages are well known in the art. See,e.g., Wells et al., eds., Pharmacotherapy Handbook, 2^(nd) Edition,Appleton and Lange, Stamford, Conn. (2000); PDR Pharmacopoeia, TarasconPocket Pharmacopoeia 2000, Deluxe Edition, Tarascon Publishing, LomaLinda, Calif. (2000); Nursing 2001 Handbook of Drugs, 21^(st) edition,Springhouse Corp., Springhouse, Pa., 2001; Health Professional's DrugGuide 2001, ed., Shannon, Wilson, Stang, Prentice-Hall, Inc, UpperSaddle River, N.J. each of which references are entirely incorporatedherein by reference.

TNF antagonists suitable for compositions, combination therapy,co-administration, devices and/or methods of the present invention(further comprising at least one antibody, specified portion and variantthereof, of the present invention), include, but are not limited to,anti-TNF antibodies (e.g., at least one TNF antagonist as definedabove), antigen-binding fragments thereof, and receptor molecules whichbind specifically to TNF; compounds which prevent and/or inhibit TNFsynthesis, TNF release or its action on target cells, such asthalidomide, tenidap, phosphodiesterase inhibitors (e.g, pentoxifyllineand rolipram), A2b adenosine receptor agonists and A2b adenosinereceptor enhancers; compounds which prevent and/or inhibit TNF receptorsignalling, such as mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitors;compounds which block and/or inhibit membrane TNF cleavage, such asmetalloproteinase inhibitors; compounds which block and/or inhibit TNFactivity, such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (e.g.,captopril); and compounds which block and/or inhibit TNF productionand/or synthesis, such as MAP kinase inhibitors.

As used herein, a “tumor necrosis factor antibody,” “TNF antibody,”“TNFα antibody,” or fragment and the like decreases, blocks, inhibits,abrogates or interferes with TNFα activity in vitro, in situ and/or,preferably, in vivo. For example, a suitable TNF human antibody of thepresent invention can bind TNFα and includes anti-TNF antibodies,antigen-binding fragments thereof, and specified mutants or domainsthereof that bind specifically to TNFα. A suitable TNF antibody orfragment can also decrease block, abrogate, interfere, prevent and/orinhibit TNF RNA, DNA or protein synthesis, TNF release, TNF receptorsignaling, membrane TNF cleavage, TNF activity, TNF production and/orsynthesis.

An example of a TNF antibody or antagonist is the chimeric antibody cA2.Additional examples of monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies that can be usedin the present invention are described in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat.No. 5,231,024; Möller, A. et al., Cytokine 2(3):162-169 (1990); U.S.application Ser. No. 07/943,852 (filed Sep. 11, 1992); Rathjen et al.,International Publication No. WO 91/02078 (published Feb. 21, 1991);Rubin et al., EPO Patent Publication No. 0 218 868 (published Apr. 22,1987); Yone et al., EPO Patent Publication No. 0 288 088 (Oct. 26,1988); Liang, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 137:847-854 (1986);Meager, et al., Hybridoma 6:305-311 (1987); Fendly et al., Hybridoma6:359-369 (1987); Bringman, et al., Hybridoma 6:489-507 (1987); andHirai, et al., J. Immunol. Meth. 96:57-62 (1987).

TNF Receptor Molecules

Preferred TNF receptor molecules useful in the present invention arethose that bind TNFα with high affinity (see, e.g., Feldmann et al.,International Publication No. WO 92/07076 (published Apr. 30, 1992);Schall et al., Cell 61:361-370 (1990); and Loetscher et al., Cell61:351-359 (1990), which references are entirely incorporated herein byreference) and optionally possess low immunogenicity. In particular, the55 kDa (p55 TNF-R) and the 75 kDa (p75 TNF-R) TNF cell surface receptorsare useful in the present invention. Truncated forms of these receptors,comprising the extracellular domains (ECD) of the receptors orfunctional portions thereof (see, e.g., Corcoran et al., Eur. J.Biochem. 223:831-840 (1994)), are also useful in the present invention.Truncated forms of the TNF receptors, comprising the ECD, have beendetected in urine and serum as 30 kDa and 40 kDa TNFα inhibitory bindingproteins (Engelmann, H. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:1531-1536 (1990)).TNF receptor multimeric molecules and TNF immunoreceptor fusionmolecules, and derivatives and fragments or portions thereof, areadditional examples of TNF receptor molecules which are useful in themethods and compositions of the present invention.

TNF receptor multimeric molecules useful in the present inventioncomprise all or a functional portion of the ECD of two or more TNFreceptors linked via one or more polypeptide linkers or other nonpeptidelinkers, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG). An example of such a TNFimmunoreceptor fusion molecule is TNF receptor/IgG fusion protein. TNFimmunoreceptor fusion molecules and methods for their production havebeen described in the art (Lesslauer et al., Eur. J. Immunol.21:2883-2886 (1991); Ashkenazi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA88:10535-10539 (1991); Peppel et al., J. Exp. Med. 174:1483-1489 (1991);Kolls et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:215-219 (1994); Butler etal., Cytokine 6(6):616-623 (1994); Baker et al., Eur. J. Immunol.24:2040-2048 (1994); Beutler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,851; and U.S.application Ser. No. 08/442,133 (filed May 16, 1995), each of whichreferences are entirely incorporated herein by reference). Methods forproducing immunoreceptor fusion molecules can also be found in Capon etal., U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,964; Capon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,538; andCapon et al., Nature 337:525-531 (1989), which references are entirelyincorporated herein by reference.

Cytokines include any known cytokine. See, e.g., CopewithCytokines.com.Cytokine antagonists include, but are not limited to, any antibody,fragment or mimetic, any soluble receptor, fragment or mimetic, anysmall molecule antagonist, or any combination thereof.

Therapeutic Treatments

Any method of the present invention can comprise a method for treatingan IL-23 mediated disorder, comprising administering an effective amountof a composition or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody to a cell, tissue, organ, animal or patient inneed of such modulation, treatment or therapy. Such a method canoptionally further comprise co-administration or combination therapy fortreating such diseases or disorders, wherein the administering of saidat least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody, specified portion or variantthereof, further comprises administering before, concurrently, and/orafter, at least one selected from an anti-infective drug, acardiovascular (CV) system drug, a central nervous system (CNS) drug, anautonomic nervous system (ANS) drug, a respiratory tract drug, agastrointestinal (GI) tract drug, a hormonal drug, a drug for fluid orelectrolyte balance, a hematologic drug, an antineoplastic, animmunomodulation drug, an ophthalmic, otic or nasal drug, a topicaldrug, a nutritional drug or the like, at least one TNF antagonist (e.g.,but not limited to a TNF antibody or fragment, a soluble TNF receptor orfragment, fusion proteins thereof, or a small molecule TNF antagonist),an antirheumatic (e.g., methotrexate, auranofin, aurothioglucose,azathioprine, etanercept, gold sodium thiomalate, hydroxychloroquinesulfate, leflunomide, sulfasalzine), a muscle relaxant, a narcotic, anon-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an analgesic, an anesthetic,a sedative, a local anesthetic, a neuromuscular blocker, anantimicrobial (e.g., aminoglycoside, an antifungal, an antiparasitic, anantiviral, a carbapenem, cephalosporin, a flurorquinolone, a macrolide,a penicillin, a sulfonamide, a tetracycline, another antimicrobial), anantipsoriatic, a corticosteriod, an anabolic steroid, a diabetes relatedagent, a mineral, a nutritional, a thyroid agent, a vitamin, a calciumrelated hormone, an antidiarrheal, an antitussive, an antiemetic, anantiulcer, a laxative, an anticoagulant, an erythropoietin (e.g.,epoetin alpha), a filgrastim (e.g., G-CSF, Neupogen), a sargramostim(GM-CSF, Leukine), an immunization, an immunoglobulin, animmunosuppressive (e.g., basiliximab, cyclosporine, daclizumab), agrowth hormone, a hormone replacement drug, an estrogen receptormodulator, a mydriatic, a cycloplegic, an alkylating agent, anantimetabolite, a mitotic inhibitor, a radiopharmaceutical, anantidepressant, antimanic agent, an antipsychotic, an anxiolytic, ahypnotic, a sympathomimetic, a stimulant, donepezil, tacrine, an asthmamedication, a beta agonist, an inhaled steroid, a leukotriene inhibitor,a methylxanthine, a cromolyn, an epinephrine or analog, dornase alpha(Pulmozyme), a cytokine or a cytokine antagonist. Such drugs are wellknown in the art, including formulations, indications, dosing andadministration for each presented herein (see., e.g., Nursing 2001Handbook of Drugs, 21^(st) edition, Springhouse Corp., Springhouse, Pa.,2001; Health Professional's Drug Guide 2001, ed., Shannon, Wilson,Stang, Prentice-Hall, Inc, Upper Saddle River, N.J.; PharmcotherapyHandbook, Wells et al., ed., Appleton & Lange, Stamford, Conn., eachentirely incorporated herein by reference).

Typically, treatment of pathologic conditions is effected byadministering an effective amount or dosage of at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody composition that total, on average, a range fromat least about 0.01 to 500 milligrams of at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody per kilogram of patient per dose, and, preferably, from atleast about 0.1 to 100 milligrams antibody/kilogram of patient persingle or multiple administration, depending upon the specific activityof the active agent contained in the composition. Alternatively, theeffective serum concentration can comprise 0.1-5000 μg/ml serumconcentration per single or multiple adminstration. Suitable dosages areknown to medical practitioners and will, of course, depend upon theparticular disease state, specific activity of the composition beingadministered, and the particular patient undergoing treatment. In someinstances, to achieve the desired therapeutic amount, it can benecessary to provide for repeated administration, i.e., repeatedindividual administrations of a particular monitored or metered dose,where the individual administrations are repeated until the desireddaily dose or effect is achieved.

Preferred doses can optionally include about 0.1-99 and/or 100-500mg/kg/administration, or any range, value or fraction thereof, or toachieve a serum concentration of about 0.1-5000 μg/ml serumconcentration per single or multiple administration, or any range, valueor fraction thereof. A preferred dosage range for the anti-IL-23p19antibody of the present invention is from about 1 mg/kg, up to about 3,about 6 or about 12 mg/kg of body weight of the patient.

Alternatively, the dosage administered can vary depending upon knownfactors, such as the pharmacodynamic characteristics of the particularagent, and its mode and route of administration; age, health, and weightof the recipient; nature and extent of symptoms, kind of concurrenttreatment, frequency of treatment, and the effect desired. Usually adosage of active ingredient can be about 0.1 to 100 milligrams perkilogram of body weight. Ordinarily 0.1 to 50, and, preferably, 0.1 to10 milligrams per kilogram per administration or in sustained releaseform is effective to obtain desired results.

As a non-limiting example, treatment of humans or animals can beprovided as a one-time or periodic dosage of at least one antibody ofthe present invention about 0.1 to 100 mg/kg or any range, value orfraction thereof per day, on at least one of day 1-40, or, alternativelyor additionally, at least one of week 1-52, or, alternatively oradditionally, at least one of 1-20 years, or any combination thereof,using single, infusion or repeated doses.

Dosage forms (composition) suitable for internal administrationgenerally contain from about 0.001 milligram to about 500 milligrams ofactive ingredient per unit or container. In these pharmaceuticalcompositions the active ingredient will ordinarily be present in anamount of about 0.5-99.999% by weight based on the total weight of thecomposition.

For parenteral administration, the antibody can be formulated as asolution, suspension, emulsion, particle, powder, or lyophilized powderin association, or separately provided, with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable parenteral vehicle. Examples of such vehicles are water,saline, Ringer's solution, dextrose solution, and about 1-10% humanserum albumin. Liposomes and nonaqueous vehicles, such as fixed oils,can also be used. The vehicle or lyophilized powder can containadditives that maintain isotonicity (e.g., sodium chloride, mannitol)and chemical stability (e.g., buffers and preservatives). Theformulation is sterilized by known or suitable techniques.

Suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in the most recentedition of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, A. Osol, a standardreference text in this field.

Alternative Administration

Many known and developed modes can be used according to the presentinvention for administering pharmaceutically effective amounts of atleast one anti-IL-23p19 antibody according to the present invention.While pulmonary administration is used in the following description,other modes of administration can be used according to the presentinvention with suitable results. IL-23p19 antibodies of the presentinvention can be delivered in a carrier, as a solution, emulsion,colloid, or suspension, or as a dry powder, using any of a variety ofdevices and methods suitable for administration by inhalation or othermodes described here within or known in the art.

Parenteral Formulations and Administration

Formulations for parenteral administration can contain as commonexcipients sterile water or saline, polyalkylene glycols, such aspolyethylene glycol, oils of vegetable origin, hydrogenated naphthalenesand the like. Aqueous or oily suspensions for injection can be preparedby using an appropriate emulsifier or humidifier and a suspending agent,according to known methods. Agents for injection can be a non-toxic,non-orally administrable diluting agent, such as aqueous solution, asterile injectable solution or suspension in a solvent. As the usablevehicle or solvent, water, Ringer's solution, isotonic saline, etc. areallowed; as an ordinary solvent or suspending solvent, sterileinvolatile oil can be used. For these purposes, any kind of involatileoil and fatty acid can be used, including natural or synthetic orsemisynthetic fatty oils or fatty acids; natural or synthetic orsemisynthtetic mono- or di- or tri-glycerides. Parental administrationis known in the art and includes, but is not limited to, conventionalmeans of injections, a gas pressured needle-less injection device asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,198, and a laser perforator device asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,446 entirely incorporated herein byreference.

Alternative Delivery

The invention further relates to the administration of at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody by parenteral, subcutaneous, intramuscular,intravenous, intrarticular, intrabronchial, intraabdominal,intracapsular, intracartilaginous, intracavitary, intracelial,intracerebellar, intracerebroventricular, intracolic, intracervical,intragastric, intrahepatic, intramyocardial, intraosteal, intrapelvic,intrapericardiac, intraperitoneal, intrapleural, intraprostatic,intrapulmonary, intrarectal, intrarenal, intraretinal, intraspinal,intrasynovial, intrathoracic, intrauterine, intravesical, intralesional,bolus, vaginal, rectal, buccal, sublingual, intranasal, or transdermalmeans. At least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody composition can be preparedfor use for parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous) orany other administration particularly in the form of liquid solutions orsuspensions; for use in vaginal or rectal administration particularly insemisolid forms, such as, but not limited to, creams and suppositories;for buccal, or sublingual administration, such as, but not limited to,in the form of tablets or capsules; or intranasally, such as, but notlimited to, the form of powders, nasal drops or aerosols or certainagents; or transdermally, such as not limited to a gel, ointment,lotion, suspension or patch delivery system with chemical enhancers suchas dimethyl sulfoxide to either modify the skin structure or to increasethe drug concentration in the transdermal patch (Junginger, et al. In“Drug Permeation Enhancement;” Hsieh, D. S., Eds., pp. 59-90 (MarcelDekker, Inc. New York 1994, entirely incorporated herein by reference),or with oxidizing agents that enable the application of formulationscontaining proteins and peptides onto the skin (WO 98/53847), orapplications of electric fields to create transient transport pathways,such as electroporation, or to increase the mobility of charged drugsthrough the skin, such as iontophoresis, or application of ultrasound,such as sonophoresis (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,309,989 and 4,767,402) (the abovepublications and patents being entirely incorporated herein byreference).

Pulmonary/Nasal Administration

For pulmonary administration, preferably, at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody composition is delivered in a particle size effective forreaching the lower airways of the lung or sinuses. According to theinvention, at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody can be delivered by anyof a variety of inhalation or nasal devices known in the art foradministration of a therapeutic agent by inhalation. These devicescapable of depositing aerosolized formulations in the sinus cavity oralveoli of a patient include metered dose inhalers, nebulizers, drypowder generators, sprayers, and the like. Other devices suitable fordirecting the pulmonary or nasal administration of antibodies are alsoknown in the art. All such devices can use formulations suitable for theadministration for the dispensing of antibody in an aerosol. Suchaerosols can be comprised of either solutions (both aqueous and nonaqueous) or solid particles.

Metered dose inhalers like the Ventolin® metered dose inhaler, typicallyuse a propellent gas and require actuation during inspiration (See,e.g., WO 94/16970, WO 98/35888). Dry powder inhalers like Turbuhaler™(Astra), Rotahaler® (Glaxo), Diskus® (Glaxo), Spiros™ inhaler (Dura),devices marketed by Inhale Therapeutics, and the Spinhaler® powderinhaler (Fisons), use breath-actuation of a mixed powder (U.S. Pat. No.4,668,218 Astra, EP 237507 Astra, WO 97/25086 Glaxo, WO 94/08552 Dura,U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,135 Inhale, WO 94/06498 Fisons, entirelyincorporated herein by reference). Nebulizers like AERx™ Aradigm, theUltravent® nebulizer (Mallinckrodt), and the Acorn II® nebulizer(Marquest Medical Products) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,871 Aradigm, WO97/22376), the above references entirely incorporated herein byreference, produce aerosols from solutions, while metered dose inhalers,dry powder inhalers, etc. generate small particle aerosols. Thesespecific examples of commercially available inhalation devices areintended to be a representative of specific devices suitable for thepractice of this invention, and are not intended as limiting the scopeof the invention.

Preferably, a composition comprising at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodyis delivered by a dry powder inhaler or a sprayer. There are severaldesirable features of an inhalation device for administering at leastone antibody of the present invention. For example, delivery by theinhalation device is advantageously reliable, reproducible, andaccurate. The inhalation device can optionally deliver small dryparticles, e.g., less than about 10 μm, preferably about 1-5 μm, forgood respirability.

Administration of IL-23p19 Antibody Compositions as a Spray

A spray including IL-23p19 antibody composition can be produced byforcing a suspension or solution of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodythrough a nozzle under pressure. The nozzle size and configuration, theapplied pressure, and the liquid feed rate can be chosen to achieve thedesired output and particle size. An electrospray can be produced, forexample, by an electric field in connection with a capillary or nozzlefeed. Advantageously, particles of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodycomposition delivered by a sprayer have a particle size less than about10 μm, preferably, in the range of about 1 μm to about 5 μm, and, mostpreferably, about 2 μm to about 3 μm.

Formulations of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody composition suitablefor use with a sprayer typically include antibody composition in anaqueous solution at a concentration of about 0.1 mg to about 100 mg ofat least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody composition per ml of solution ormg/gm, or any range, value, or fraction therein. The formulation caninclude agents, such as an excipient, a buffer, an isotonicity agent, apreservative, a surfactant, and, preferably, zinc. The formulation canalso include an excipient or agent for stabilization of the antibodycomposition, such as a buffer, a reducing agent, a bulk protein, or acarbohydrate. Bulk proteins useful in formulating antibody compositionsinclude albumin, protamine, or the like. Typical carbohydrates useful informulating antibody compositions include sucrose, mannitol, lactose,trehalose, glucose, or the like. The antibody composition formulationcan also include a surfactant, which can reduce or preventsurface-induced aggregation of the antibody composition caused byatomization of the solution in forming an aerosol. Various conventionalsurfactants can be employed, such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid estersand alcohols, and polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid esters. Amountswill generally range between 0.001 and 14% by weight of the formulation.Especially preferred surfactants for purposes of this invention arepolyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 20, orthe like. Additional agents known in the art for formulation of aprotein, such as IL-23p19 antibodies, or specified portions or variants,can also be included in the formulation.

Administration of IL-23p19 Antibody Compositions by a Nebulizer

Antibody compositions of the invention can be administered by anebulizer, such as jet nebulizer or an ultrasonic nebulizer. Typically,in a jet nebulizer, a compressed air source is used to create ahigh-velocity air jet through an orifice. As the gas expands beyond thenozzle, a low-pressure region is created, which draws a solution ofantibody composition through a capillary tube connected to a liquidreservoir. The liquid stream from the capillary tube is sheared intounstable filaments and droplets as it exits the tube, creating theaerosol. A range of configurations, flow rates, and baffle types can beemployed to achieve the desired performance characteristics from a givenjet nebulizer. In an ultrasonic nebulizer, high-frequency electricalenergy is used to create vibrational, mechanical energy, typicallyemploying a piezoelectric transducer. This energy is transmitted to theformulation of antibody composition either directly or through acoupling fluid, creating an aerosol including the antibody composition.Advantageously, particles of antibody composition delivered by anebulizer have a particle size less than about 10 μm, preferably, in therange of about 1 μm to about 5 μm, and, most preferably, about 2 μm toabout 3 μm.

Formulations of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody suitable for usewith a nebulizer, either jet or ultrasonic, typically include aconcentration of about 0.1 mg to about 100 mg of at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody protein per ml of solution. The formulation caninclude agents, such as an excipient, a buffer, an isotonicity agent, apreservative, a surfactant, and, preferably, zinc. The formulation canalso include an excipient or agent for stabilization of the at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody composition, such as a buffer, a reducing agent,a bulk protein, or a carbohydrate. Bulk proteins useful in formulatingat least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody compositions include albumin,protamine, or the like. Typical carbohydrates useful in formulating atleast one anti-IL-23p19 antibody include sucrose, mannitol, lactose,trehalose, glucose, or the like. The at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodyformulation can also include a surfactant, which can reduce or preventsurface-induced aggregation of the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodycaused by atomization of the solution in forming an aerosol. Variousconventional surfactants can be employed, such as polyoxyethylene fattyacid esters and alcohols, and polyoxyethylene sorbital fatty acidesters. Amounts will generally range between about 0.001 and 4% byweight of the formulation. Especially preferred surfactants for purposesof this invention are polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate, polysorbate80, polysorbate 20, or the like. Additional agents known in the art forformulation of a protein, such as antibody protein, can also be includedin the formulation.

Administration of IL-23p19 Antibody Compositions by a Metered DoseInhaler

In a metered dose inhaler (MDI), a propellant, at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody, and any excipients or other additives arecontained in a canister as a mixture including a liquefied compressedgas. Actuation of the metering valve releases the mixture as an aerosol,preferably containing particles in the size range of less than about 10μm, preferably, about 1 μm to about 5 μm, and, most preferably, about 2μm to about 3 μm. The desired aerosol particle size can be obtained byemploying a formulation of antibody composition produced by variousmethods known to those of skill in the art, including jet-milling, spraydrying, critical point condensation, or the like. Preferred metered doseinhalers include those manufactured by 3M or Glaxo and employing ahydrofluorocarbon propellant. Formulations of at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody for use with a metered-dose inhaler device will generallyinclude a finely divided powder containing at least one anti-IL-23p19antibody as a suspension in a non-aqueous medium, for example, suspendedin a propellant with the aid of a surfactant. The propellant can be anyconventional material employed for this purpose, such aschlorofluorocarbon, a hydrochlorofluorocarbon, a hydrofluorocarbon, or ahydrocarbon, including trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorodifluoromethane,dichlorotetrafluoroethanol and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, HFA-134a(hydrofluroalkane-134a), HFA-227 (hydrofluroalkane-227), or the like.Preferably, the propellant is a hydrofluorocarbon. The surfactant can bechosen to stabilize the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibody as asuspension in the propellant, to protect the active agent againstchemical degradation, and the like. Suitable surfactants includesorbitan trioleate, soya lecithin, oleic acid, or the like. In somecases, solution aerosols are preferred using solvents, such as ethanol.Additional agents known in the art for formulation of a protein can alsobe included in the formulation. One of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize that the methods of the current invention can be achieved bypulmonary administration of at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodycomposition via devices not described herein.

Oral Formulations and Administration

Formulations for oral administration rely on the co-administration ofadjuvants (e.g., resorcinols and nonionic surfactants, such aspolyoxyethylene oleyl ether and n-hexadecylpolyethylene ether) toincrease artificially the permeability of the intestinal walls, as wellas the co-administration of enzymatic inhibitors (e.g., pancreatictrypsin inhibitors, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFF) and trasylol) toinhibit enzymatic degradation. Formulations for delivery of hydrophilicagents including proteins and antibodies and a combination of at leasttwo surfactants intended for oral, buccal, mucosal, nasal, pulmonary,vaginal transmembrane, or rectal administration are taught in U.S. Pat.No. 6,309,663. The active constituent compound of the solid-type dosageform for oral administration can be mixed with at least one additive,including sucrose, lactose, cellulose, mannitol, trehalose, raffinose,maltitol, dextran, starches, agar, arginates, chitins, chitosans,pectins, gum tragacanth, gum arabic, gelatin, collagen, casein, albumin,synthetic or semisynthetic polymer, and glyceride. These dosage formscan also contain other type(s) of additives, e.g., inactive dilutingagent, lubricant, such as magnesium stearate, paraben, preserving agent,such as sorbic acid, ascorbic acid, .alpha.-tocopherol, antioxidant suchas cysteine, disintegrator, binder, thickener, buffering agent,sweetening agent, flavoring agent, perfuming agent, etc.

Tablets and pills can be further processed into enteric-coatedpreparations. The liquid preparations for oral administration includeemulsion, syrup, elixir, suspension and solution preparations allowablefor medical use. These preparations can contain inactive diluting agentsordinarily used in said field, e.g., water. Liposomes have also beendescribed as drug delivery systems for insulin and heparin (U.S. Pat.No. 4,239,754). More recently, microspheres of artificial polymers ofmixed amino acids (proteinoids) have been used to deliverpharmaceuticals (U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,673). Furthermore, carriercompounds described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,879,681 and 5,871,753 and usedto deliver biologically active agents orally are known in the art.

Mucosal Formulations and Administration

A formulation for orally administering a bioactive agent encapsulated inone or more biocompatible polymer or copolymer excipients, preferably, abiodegradable polymer or copolymer, affording microcapsules which due tothe proper size of the resultant microcapsules results in the agentreaching and being taken up by the folliculi lymphatic aggregati,otherwise known as the “Peyer's patch,” or “GALT” of the animal withoutloss of effectiveness due to the agent having passed through thegastrointestinal tract. Similar folliculi lymphatic aggregati can befound in the bronchei tubes (BALT) and the large intestine. Theabove-described tissues are referred to in general as mucosallyassociated lymphoreticular tissues (MALT). For absorption throughmucosal surfaces, compositions and methods of administering at least oneanti-IL-23p19 antibody include an emulsion comprising a plurality ofsubmicron particles, a mucoadhesive macromolecule, a bioactive peptide,and an aqueous continuous phase, which promotes absorption throughmucosal surfaces by achieving mucoadhesion of the emulsion particles(U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,670). Mucous surfaces suitable for application ofthe emulsions of the present invention can include corneal,conjunctival, buccal, sublingual, nasal, vaginal, pulmonary, stomachic,intestinal, and rectal routes of administration. Formulations forvaginal or rectal administration, e.g., suppositories, can contain asexcipients, for example, polyalkyleneglycols, vaseline, cocoa butter,and the like. Formulations for intranasal administration can be solidand contain as excipients, for example, lactose or can be aqueous oroily solutions of nasal drops. For buccal administration, excipientsinclude sugars, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, pregelinatinedstarch, and the like (U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,695).

Transdermal Formulations and Administration

For transdermal administration, the at least one anti-IL-23p19 antibodyis encapsulated in a delivery device, such as a liposome or polymericnanoparticles, microparticle, microcapsule, or microspheres (referred tocollectively as microparticles unless otherwise stated). A number ofsuitable devices are known, including microparticles made of syntheticpolymers, such as polyhydroxy acids, such as polylactic acid,polyglycolic acid and copolymers thereof, polyorthoesters,polyanhydrides, and polyphosphazenes, and natural polymers, such ascollagen, polyamino acids, albumin and other proteins, alginate andother polysaccharides, and combinations thereof (U.S. Pat. No.5,814,599).

Prolonged Administration and Formulations

It can be desirable to deliver the compounds of the present invention tothe subject over prolonged periods of time, for example, for periods ofone week to one year from a single administration. Various slow release,depot or implant dosage forms can be utilized. For example, a dosageform can contain a pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic salt of thecompounds that has a low degree of solubility in body fluids, forexample, (a) an acid addition salt with a polybasic acid, such asphosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, tannic acid,pamoic acid, alginic acid, polyglutamic acid, naphthalene mono- ordi-sulfonic acids, polygalacturonic acid, and the like; (b) a salt witha polyvalent metal cation, such as zinc, calcium, bismuth, barium,magnesium, aluminum, copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium and the like, orwith an organic cation formed from e.g., N,N′-dibenzyl-ethylenediamineor ethylenediamine; or (c) combinations of (a) and (b), e.g., a zinctannate salt. Additionally, the compounds of the present invention or,preferably, a relatively insoluble salt, such as those just described,can be formulated in a gel, for example, an aluminum monostearate gelwith, e.g., sesame oil, suitable for injection. Particularly preferredsalts are zinc salts, zinc tannate salts, pamoate salts, and the like.Another type of slow release depot formulation for injection wouldcontain the compound or salt dispersed for encapsulation in a slowdegrading, non-toxic, non-antigenic polymer, such as a polylacticacid/polyglycolic acid polymer for example as described in U.S. Pat. No.3,773,919. The compounds or, preferably, relatively insoluble salts,such as those described above, can also be formulated in cholesterolmatrix silastic pellets, particularly for use in animals. Additionalslow release, depot or implant formulations, e.g., gas or liquidliposomes, are known in the literature (U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,222 and“Sustained and Controlled Release Drug Delivery Systems”, J. R. Robinsoned., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1978).

Having generally described the invention, the same will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the following examples, which are provided byway of illustration and are not intended as limiting.

EXAMPLES Example 1—Subunit Specificity of IL-23p19 Monoclonal Antibodies

Purified mouse anti-human IL-23 mAbs were evaluated in cytokine captureELISA to determine their antigen subunit specificity. Briefly, IL-23mAbs were coated onto plates and incubated with 100 ng/ml (hr=humanrecombinant) hrIL-23, hrIL-12, and hrp40, respectively. Followingincubation with biotinylated anti-p40 mAb, the binding was detectedusing HRP-conjugated streptavidin. An anti-p40 mAb and an anti-IL-12 mAb(20C2, Catalog No. 555065, BD Pharmingen, San Diego, Calif.) with knownspecificity were used as controls.

FIG. 1 demonstrates that four mAbs bind specifically hrIL-23 and nothrIL-12 or hrp40 monomer. Because the IL-23p19 subunit must covalentlyassociate with p40 to be secreted from mammalian cells, IL-23 mAbs thatdo not recognize p40 monomer must bind either the IL-23p19 subunit aloneor a joint epitope of the p19-p40 heterodimer. Therefore, these IL-23mAbs are referred to as IL-23p19 mAbs. All four anti-human IL-23p19 mAbsdemonstrate similar binding curves to hrIL-23 (FIG. 2) and subsequentBIAcore analysis demonstrated affinities ranging from 43-338 pM. It wasfurther determined that these IL-23 mAbs do not cross-react with murineIL-23 (data not shown).

Example 2—Inhibition of IL-23 Receptor Binding by IL-23p19 mAbs

To demonstrate that the IL-23p19 mAbs are neutralizing antibodiesagainst the p19 subunit, the mAbs were tested for their inhibition ofIL-23 and IL-23R binding. In this experiment, IL-23R was immobilized ona plate. Biotinylated hrIL-23 was added to the plate either alone orafter preincubation with individual IL-23p19 mAbs. Soluble IL-23R(IL-23R-Fc) was used as a positive control. IL-23 binding was detectedwith HRP-conjugated streptavidin. As shown in FIG. 3, all four IL-23p19mAbs were able to prevent IL-23/IL-23R binding with comparable potencyto soluble IL-23R-Fc. In contrast, when IL-12Rβ1 was immobilized on aplate, none of the IL-23p19 mAbs were able to inhibit IL-23/IL-12Rβ1binding (data not shown). Similarly, the IL-23p19 mAbs do not blockIL-12/IL-12Rβ1 binding (data not shown). The selective inhibition ofIL-23/IL-23R binding and the lack of interference with IL-12 or IL-23binding to IL-12Rβ1 further demonstrates that these IL-23p19 mAbs do notbind the p40 subunit and thus are neutralizing anti-human IL-23p19antibodies.

Example 3—Neutralization of IL-23 Biological Function by IL-23p19 mAbs

IL-23 is known to induce intracellular STAT3 phosphorylation and IL-17production by T cells. Therefore, the IL-23p19 mAbs were tested fortheir ability to inhibit these biological functions of human IL-23.

In one experiment, natural killer (NKL) cells were stimulated withhrIL-23 either alone or after preincubation with individual IL-23p19mAbs. Treated cells were stained with fluorochrome-conjugatedanti-phospho-STAT3 antibodies and analyzed by intracellular flowcytometry. It was shown that all four IL-23p19 mAbs inhibit STAT3phosphorylation with comparable potency to a neutralizing anti-p40 mAb.

In another experiment, freshly isolated murine splenocytes were treatedwith hrIL-23 preincubated with titrated IL-23p19 mAbs or control mAbs.hrIL-23 with no antibody preincubation was used as the positive control.After 3 days in culture, cell supernatants were collected and assayed byELISA using IL-17 ELISA duo set (R&D Systems). As shown in FIG. 4,IL-23p19 mAbs inhibit hrIL-23 mediated IL-17 production. These mAbs werealso shown to inhibit native human IL-23 (produced by human PBMC)mediated IL-17 production.

In comparison, IL-23p19 mAbs were also tested for their ability toinhibit IL-12 induced IFNγ production. Briefly, NK92MI cells weretreated with IL-12 preincubated with titrated IL-23p19 mAbs or controlmAbs. IL-12 with no antibody preincubation was used as the positivecontrol. ELISA analysis performed 24 hours post-stimulation showed noeffect of IL-23p19 mAbs on IL-12 induced IFNγ production demonstratingthat the antibodies do not bind to the p40 subunit shared by IL-12 andIL-23.

Example 4—Epitope Identification of IL-23p19 mAbs and CompetitiveBinding

Competition binding analysis was performed to determine if the fourneutralizing IL-23p19 mAbs bind to similar or different IL-23p19epitopes. IL-23mAbs were individually coated on ELISA plates. CompetingmAbs were added, followed by the addition of biotinylated hrIL-23. Forpositive control, the same mAb for coating was used as the competing mAb(“self-competition”). IL-23 binding was detected using streptavidin.C1269, C1273 and C1275 all show cross-competition indicating binding toa spatially similar site. C1249 shows little or no competition withC1269 or C1273 and partial inhibition of C1275. These results indicatethat the mAbs recognize similar or partially overlapping epitopes onIL-23.

Competition ELISA of labeled C1269 antibody bound to IL-23 was performedas shown in FIG. 7. 5 μL of a 20 μg/ml hIL-23 coated on plate, mixedwith 10 nM of labeled C1269 and serially diluted from 3000 nM to 0unlabeled competitors, C1269 and C1249, in 25 μL. Relative binding wascalculated by setting the signal in the absence of competitor to 100%.The results indicate that antibodies C1249 and C1269 do not compete forthe same binding epitope.

To directly map their binding epitopes, the IL-23p19 mAbs, 75 μg ofC1249 or mouse IgG, was mixed with about 65 μg of IL-23 and incubated at4° C. overnight. The antigen-antibody complex was isolated by gelchromatography and transferred into digestion buffer (0.1M Tris-HCL pH8.5) using a 100,000 NMWL filter unit. Then, 4 μg of trypsin (0.16units) in digestion buffer was added and incubated for 2 hours at 37° C.After incubation, the complexes were captured by Protein G beads, washedtwice with PBS and once with ammonium bicarbonate, and the capturedpeptides eluted in 30 μL of elution buffer (10% Acetonitrile, 0.5% TFA).Complex formation and trypsin digestion of C1269 was carried out in thesame manner.

The eluted peptides were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry asdescribed below. Eluents of the trypsin-digest complex were desalted bypipetting the sample through a C18 Zip Tip, the zip tip was wetted with100% Acetonitrile followed by equilibration with 0.1% TFA. The eluentwas then bound to the media, washed with 0.1% TFA and eluted in a volumeof 2 μL α-cyano matrix (10 mg/mL α-cyano, 0.1% TFA, 50% Acetonitrile inwater) and directly spotted on the MALDI-TOF target. The MALDI-TOF(Voyager-DE™ STR, ABI) was calibrated with Calibration mixture 2 (ABI).Spectra were obtained at laser intensity between 1500-1800 units andacquisition mass range from 800 to 5000 m/z.

One p19 peptide at m/z=1248 (₇₄IHQGLIFYEK₈₃) was captured by both theC1249 and C1269 mAbs. However, with C1269, this peptide was less intenseand may be non-specifically bound. These results indicate that theregion ₇₄IHQGLIFYEK₈₃ contributes to the binding epitope for C1249 andC1269.

Epitope-Analysis by Swap Mutagenesis of huIL-23p19/muIL-23p19 Proteins

It has been observed that 01269 and C1249 do not bind to mouse IL-23,however, 01269, but not C1249, neutralizes native IL-23 from cynomolgusmonkey. Therefore, sequence differences among human, cynomolgus monkey,and mouse IL-23p19 were analyzed to identify putative binding regionsfor these monoclonal antibodies. The p19 subunit of cynomolgus monkeywas cloned and sequenced at Centocor. Alignment of the p19 sequencesfrom human, cynomolgus and mouse is shown from the region identified ascomprising at least a portion of the epitope region for the antibodiesof the present invention—₇₄IHQGLIFYEK₈₃. In this 10-residue amino acidregion, there is only a single difference at H75 between human andcynomolgus monkey IL-23p19. This indicates that H75 is critical for thebinding of C1249, which does not neutralize cynomolgus IL-23p19, butdoes not appear to be critical for binding of C1269.

Based on the sequence alignment, species swap mutagenesis was performed.A mutant human IL-23 protein (designated “3220”) was generated in whichthe tryptic peptide region was mutated to the mouse sequence,₇₄IRQGLAFYKH₈₃, with the four mutations highlighted in bold (four singlepoint mutations in 3220—Human ₇₅His→Mouse mArg, Human ₇₉Ile→Mouse ₇₉Ala,Human ₈₂Glu→Mouse ₈₂Lys and Human ₈₃Lys→Mouse ₈₃ His). A second mutantprotein (designated “3397”) was constructed that incorporates the D andK substitutions immediately C-terminal of thispeptide-₇₄IRQGLAFYKHLLDSDIFK₉₁ (from wild-type ₇₄IHQGLIFYEKLLGSDOFT₉₁)with the six mutations highlighted in bold (the four mutations of 3220along with two additional single point mutations—Human ₇₅His→Mouse₇₅Arg, Human ₇₉ Ile→Mouse ₇₉Ala, Human ₈₂Glu→Mouse ₈₂Lys and Human₈₃Lys→Mouse ₈₃ His, Human ₈₆ Gly-Mouse ₈₆ Asp and Human ₉₁ Thr→Mouse ₉₁Lys).

To assess binding specificity for the mutant proteins, ELISA binding wascarried out for C1249, C1269, as well as the control surrogate antibodyCNTO 209 (rat anti-mouse IL-23p19). The results are shown in FIGS. 8A,8B, and 9. The ELISA results show that the mutations in IL-23 p19 (3220)reduced the binding activity to C1249 and C1269 by more than 80% (FIG. 5and FIGS. 8A and 8B). The additional substitutions in mutant 3397further reduced the binding by 95% in C1249 and by 90% in C1269.

About 65 μg of IL-23 was mixed with 75 μg of C1249, C1269, mouse IgG,respectively, and incubated for overnight at 4° C. overnight. Theantigen-antibody complex was transferred into digestion buffer using a100,000 NMWL filter unit. Then, 4 μg of trypsin (0.16 units) indigestion buffer was added and incubated for 2 hours at 37° C. Afterdigestion, Protein G beads were added to capture antibody and fragmentsbound by antibody. Then, the protein G beads were washed once with PBSand twice with 50 mM Ammonium Bicarbonate, and the captured complexeswere eluted with 30 μl of elution buffer (10% Acetonitrile, 0.5%Trifluoracetic Acid).

Eluents of the trypsin-digest complex were desalted by pipetting thesample through ZipTip C18, washed with 0.1% TFA in water, then eluted in2 μl of a-cyano matrix (10 mg/ml α-cyano, 0.1% TFA, 50% Acetonitrile inwater) and spotted on a MALDI-TOF target. The MALDI-TOF (Voyager-DE™STR, ABI) was calibrated with Calibration mixture 2 (ABI). Spectra wereobtained at laser intensity between 1,500-1,800 units and acquisitionmass range 800-5,000 m/z.

MSD high bind plates (Meso Scale Diagnostics, Gaithersburg, Md.) werecoated, at 4° C. overnight, with 5 ηl of serially diluted samples, from100 to 0 μg/ml, of different protein reagents, including human IL-23,murine IL-23 and two segment-swapped mutant proteins, 3220 and 3397.One-hundred and fifty μl of 5% MSD Blocker A buffer was added to eachwell and incubated for 1 hr at room temperature. Plates were washedthree times with 0.1 M HEPES buffer, pH 7.4. These protein-charged ELISAmicro-wells were incubated with 25 μl of 2 μg/mL MSD Sulfo-TAG labeledC1249, C1269, or CNTO 209 mAbs. After incubation for 2 hours withshaking at room temperature, plates were washed 3 times with 0.1 M HEPESbuffer (pH 7.4). MSD Read Buffer T was diluted with distilled water (4fold) and dispensed at a volume of 150 μl/well and analyzed with aSECTOR imager 6000.

IL-23 Structural Analysis

FIG. 6 shows the structural model for human IL-23 based upon the crystalstructure of human IL-12 (pdb code 1f45). It is clear that residues(H75, 179, E82, K83 and G86) are surface exposed and clustered together.This arrangement is typical of conformational epitopes for antibodybinding. Therefore, this segment (₇₄IHQGLIFYEKLLG₈₆) may constitute partof the binding epitope for C1249 as well as species specificitydeterminants of the epitope. Typical Ab/Ag binding buries approximately1000 Å² of surface area. This suggests that additional exposed residuesof the IL-23p19 in the vicinity of the above segment would also berequired for a typical binding site. Inspection of the molecular modelsuggests that residues from the neighboring C helix (residues L109,L110, S113, Q114, L116, and Q117) are exposed and would form an extendedsurface cluster together with the residues in the 74-86 segment.Residues identified and proposed to be part of the epitope for C1249 arelabeled and shown in stick models in FIG. 6. The p40 subunit is labeled2 and the p19 subunit labeled 1.

The sequence for this part of the C helix is identical between human andmurine p19. It is plausible that as part of the epitope these residueswould contribute to the residual binding of the human-to-murine swapmutants described above. Therefore, the epitope may be comprised of twosegments of p19 (74-85 and 108-118) with the exposed residues (H75, I79,E82, K83, G86, L109, L110, S113, Q114, L116, and Q117) to be most likelyinvolved in direct antibody interactions.

Mutagenesis analysis is performed with the IL-23p19 segment spanningresidues 108-118 in which the residues are selectively changedindividually and/or in groups (i.e., multiple changes). IL-23 activityis monitored after the mutations are made as in the experiments aboveusing the IL-23p19 segment spanning amino acid residues 74-86. Theepitope is confirmed based on the change in activity correlated with thevarious combinations of mutations.

For the purposes of this invention, 70-100% amino acid or nucleotidesequence identity (i.e., 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100 orany range or value therein) is determined using a suitable computeralgorithm, as known in the art.

It will be clear that the invention can be practiced otherwise than asparticularly described in the foregoing description and examples.Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings and, therefore, are within thescope of the appended claims.

Sequence Tables (human IL-23p19 subunit) SEQ ID NO: 1Met Leu Gly Ser Arg Ala Val Met Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu Pro Trp Thr1               5                   10                  15Ala Gln Gly Arg Ala Val Pro Gly Gly Ser Ser Pro Ala Trp Thr Gln            20                  25                  30Cys Gln Gln Leu Ser Gln Lys Leu Cys Thr Leu Ala Trp Ser Ala His        35                  40                  45Pro Leu Val Gly His Met Asp Leu Arg Glu Glu Gly Asp Glu Glu Thr    50                  55                  60Thr Asn Asp Val Pro His Ile Gln Cys Gly Asp Gly Cys Asp Pro Gln65                  70                  75                  80Gly Leu Arg Asp Asn Ser Gln Phe Cys Leu Gln Arg Ile His Gln Gly                85                  90                  95Leu Ile Phe Tyr Glu Lys Leu Leu Gly Ser Asp Ile Phe Thr Gly Glu            100                 105                 110Pro Ser Leu Leu Pro Asp Ser Pro Val Ala Gln Leu His Ala Ser Leu        115                 120                 125Leu Gly Leu Ser Gln Leu Leu Gln Pro Glu Gly His His Trp Glu Thr    130                 135                 140Gln Gln Ile Pro Ser Leu Ser Pro Ser Gln Pro Trp Gln Arg Leu Leu145                 150                 155                 160Leu Arg Phe Lys Ile Leu Arg Ser Leu Gln Ala Phe Val Ala Val Ala                165                 170                 175Ala Arg Val Phe Ala His Gly Ala Ala Thr Leu Ser Pro            180                 185C1273 Heavy Chain Nucleotide Sequence SEQ ID NO: 2AtgagcagtgaacacagacccctcaccatgaacttcgggctcagattgattttccttgtccttactttaaaaggtgtccagtgtgacgtgaacttggtggagtctgggggaggcttagtgaagcctggagggtccctgaaactctcctgtgcagcctctggattcactttcagtagctataccatgtcttgggttcgccagactccggagaagaggctggagtgggtcgcaaccattagtagtggtggtacttacacctactatccagacagtgtgaagggccgattcaccatctccagagacaatgccaagaacaccctgtacctgcaaatgagcagtctgaagtctgaggacacagccatgttttactgtacaagagataaccatgcttacgacaggggccctttctttgactactggggccaaggcgccactctcacagtctcctcaC1273 Heavy Chain Amino Acid Sequence (CDR sequences in boldface andunderline) SEQ ID NO: 3MSSEHRPLTMNFGLRLIFLVLTLKGVQCDVNLVESGGGLVKPGGSLKLSCAAS GFTFSSYTMS WVRQTPEKRLEWVA TISSGGTYTYYPDSVKG RFTISRDNAKNTLYLQMSSLKSEDTAMFYCTR DNHAYDRGPFFDY WGQGATLTVSS C1273 Heavy Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 4GFTFSSYTMS C1273 Heavy Chain CDR2 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 5TISSGGTYTYYPDSVKG C1273 Heavy Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 6 DNHAYDRGPFFDY C1273 Light Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 7AtggattcacaggcccaggttcttttgttactgctgctatgggtttctggtacctgtggggacattgtgatgtcacagtccccatcctccctagttgtgtcagttggagagaaggttactatgagctgcaagtccagtcagaacctcttttataggagtaatcaaaagaaccacttggcctggtaccagcagaaaccagggcagtctcctacactgctgatttactggacgtccactagggaatctggggtccctgatcgcttcacaggcagtggatctgggacagatttcactctcaccatcagccgtgtgaaggctgaagacctggcagtttattactgtcagcaatattatagctatcctccgacgttcggtggaggcaccaagctggaaatcaaaC1273 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 8MDSQAQVLLLLLLWVSGTCGDIVMSQSPSSLVVSVGEKVTMSC KSSQNLFYRSNQKNHLA WYQQKPGQSPTLLIY WTSTRES GVPDRFTGSGSGTDFTLTISRVKAEDLAVYYC QQYYSYPPT FGGGTKLEIKC1273 Light Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 9KSSQNLFYRSNQKNHLA C1273 Light Chain CDR2 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 10 WTSTRES C1273 Light Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 11 QQYYSYPPT C1269 Heavy Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 12AtgagcagtgaacacagacccctcaccatgaacttcgggctcagattgattttccttgtcctgactttaaaaggtgtccagtgtgacgtgaacttggtggagtctgggggaggcttagtgaagcctggagggtccctgaaactctcctgtgcagcctctggattcactttcagtagctataccatgtcttgggttcgccagactccggagaagaggctggagtgggtcgcaaccattagtagtggtggtacttacacctactatccagacagtgtgaagggccgattcaccatttccagagacaatgccaagaatacattgtatctgcaaatgagcagtctgaagtctgaggacacagccatcttttattgtacaagagataaccatgcttacgacaggggccctttctttgactcctggggccaaggcgccactctcacagtctcctcaC1269 Heavy Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 13MSSEHRPLTMNFGLRLIFLVLTLKGVQCDVNLVESGGGLVKPGGSLKLSCAAS GFTFSSYTMS WVRQTPEKRLEWVAT ISSGGTYTYYPDSVKG RFTISRDNAKNTLYLQMSSLKSEDTAIFYCTR DNHAYDRGPFFDS WGQGATLTVSS C1269 Heavy Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 14GFTFSSYTMS C1269 Heavy Chain CDR2 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 15ISSGGTYTYYPDSVKG C1269 Heavy Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 16 DNHAYDRGPFFDS C1269 Light Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 17AtggattcacaggcccaggttcttatgttactgctgctatgggtttctggtacctgtggggacattgtgatgtcacagtctccatcctccctagctgtgtcagttggagagaaggttactatgagctgcaagtccagtcagaacctcttttataggaataatcaaaagaactacttggcctggtaccagcagaaaccagggcagtctcctacactgctgatttactggacgtccactagggagtctggggtccctgatcgcttcacaggcagtggatctgggacagatttcactctcaccatcagccgtgtgaaggctgaagacctggcagtttattactgtcagcaatattatagctatcctccgacgttcggtggaggcaccaagctggaaatcaaaC1269 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 18MDSQAQVLMLLLLWVSGTCGDIVMSQSPSSLAVSVGEKVTMSC KSSQNLFYRNNQKNYLA WYQQKPGQSPTLLI YWTSTRES GVPDRFTGSGSGTDFTLTISRVKAEDLAVYYC QQYYSYPPT FGGGTKLEIKC1269 Light Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence  SEQ ID NO: 19KSSQNLFYRNNQKNYLA C1269 Light Chain CDR2 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 20 YWTSTRES C1269 Light Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 21 QQYYSYPPT C1275 Heavy Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 22Atgtacttgggactgaactgtgtattcatagtttttctcttaaaaggtgtccagagtgaagtgaaccttgaggagtctggaggaggcttggtgcaacctggaagatccatgaaactctcctgtgttgcctctggattcactttcagtaactactggatgacctgggtccgccagtctccagagaaggggcttgagtgggttgctgaaattagattgaaatctaataattatgcaacacattatgcggagtctgtgaaagggaggttcaccatctcaagagatgattccaaaagtagtgtctacctgcaaatgaacaacttaagagctgaagacactgccatttattactgtaccaggggggggggttacgacgtaggagcctggtttgcttactggggccaagggactctggtcactgtctctgca C1275 Heavy Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 23MYLGLNCVFIVFLLKGVQSEVNLEESGGGLVQPGRSMKLSCVAS GFTFSNYWMT WVRQSPEKGLEWVAEIRLKSNNYATHYAESVKG RFTISRDDSKSSVYLQMNNLRAEDTAIYYCTR GGGYDVGAWFAY WGQGTLVTVSA C1275 Heavy Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 24GFTFSNYWMT C1275 Heavy Chain CDR2 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 25EIRLKSNNYATHYAESVKG C1275 Heavy Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 26 GGGYDVGAWFAY C1275 Light Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 27AtggagtcagacacactcctgctatgggtgctgctgctctgggttccaggctccactggtgacattgtgctcacccaatctccagcttctttggctgtgtctctagggcagagagccaccatctcctgcagagccagtgaaaatgttgaatattatggcacaggtttaattcagtggtaccaacagaaaccaggacagccacccaaactcctcatctatgcttcatccaacgtagaatctggggtccctgccaggtttagtggcagtgggtctgggacagacttcagcctctacatccatcctgtggaggaggatgatattgcaatgtatttctgtcagcaaagtaggaaggttccttcgacgttcggtggaggcaccaagctggaaatcaaaC1275 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 28MESDTLLLWVLLLWVPGSTGDIVLTQSPASLAVSLGQRATISC RASENVEYYGTGLIQ WYQQKPGQPPKLLIY ASSNVES GVPARFSGSGSGTDFSLYIHPVEEDDIAMYFC QQSRKVPST FGGGTKLEIKC1275 Light Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 29 RASENVEYYGTGLIQC1275 Light Chain CDR2 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 30 ASSNVESC1275 Light Chain CDR3 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 31 QQSRKVPSTC1249 Heavy Chain Nucleotide Sequence SEQ ID NO: 32Atggtgttggggctgaagtgggttttctttgttgttttttatcaaggtgtgcattgtgaggtgcaacttgttgagtctggtggaggattggtgcagcctaaaggatcattgaaactctcatgtgccgcctctggtttcaacttcaatacctatgccatgcactgggtctgccaggctccaggaaagggtttggaatggattggtcgcataagaagtaaaagtcataattatgcaacagactatgccgatccagtgaaagacagattcaccatctccagagatgattcacaaggcttgctctatctgctaatgaacaacctgaaaactgaggacacagccatgtattactgtatgagggagggaatctatggtagttttgcttactggggccaagggactctggtcactgtctctgca C1249 Heavy Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 33MVLGLKWVFFVVFYQGVHCEVQLVESGGGLVQPKGSLKLSCAAS GFNFNTYAMH WVCQAPGKGLEWIG RIRSKSHNYATDYADPVKD RFTISRDDSQGLLYLLMNNLKTEDTAMYYCMR EGIYGSFAY WGQGTLVTVSA C1249 Heavy Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 34 GFNFNTYAMHC1249 Heavy Chain CDR2 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 35IRSKSHNYATDYADPVKD C1249 Heavy Chain CDR3 Amino Acid SequenceSEQ ID NO: 36 EGIYGSFAY C1249 Light Chain Nucleotide SequenceSEQ ID NO: 37AtggagacagacacactcctgttatgggtactgctgctctgggttccaggttccactggtgacattgtgctgacacagtctcctgcttccttagctgtatctctggggcagagggccaccatctcatgcagggccagcaaaagtgtcagttcatctgcctatagttttttccactggtaccaacagaagccaggacagccacccaaactcctcatctatcttgcatccaacctacaatctggggtccctgccaggttcagtggcagtgggtctgggacagacttcaccctcaacatccatcctgtggaggcggaggatgctgcaacctattactgtcaacacagtggggagcttccattcacgttcggctcggggacaaagttggaaataaaaC1249 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 38METDILLLWVLLLWVPGSTGDIVLIQSPASLAVSLGQRATIS CRASKSVSSSAYSFFH WYQQKPGQPPKLLIY LASNLQS GVPARFSGSGSGTDFTLNIHPVEAEDAATYY CQHSGELPFT FGSGTKLEIKC1249 Light Chain CDR1 Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 39CRASKSVSSSAYSFFH C1249 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 40LASNLQS C1249 Light Chain Amino Acid Sequence SEQ ID NO: 41 CQHSGELPFT

What is claimed is:
 1. A medical device, comprising an IL-23p19 antibodycomprising a light chain variable region and a heavy chain variableregion, said light chain variable region comprising a complementaritydetermining region light chain 1 (CDRL1) amino acid sequence of SEQ IDNO:9; a CDRL2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10; and a CDRL3 aminoacid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11, said heavy chain variable regioncomprising a complementarity determining region heavy chain 1 (CDRH1)amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4; a CDRH2 amino acid sequence of SEQID NO:5; and a CDRH3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, wherein saiddevice is suitable for contacting or administering said IL-23p19antibody by at least one mode selected from parenteral, subcutaneous,intramuscular, intravenous, intrarticular, intrabronchial,intraabdominal, intracapsular, intracartilaginous, intracavitary,intracelial, intracerebellar, intracerebroventricular, intracolic,intracervical, intragastric, intrahepatic, intramyocardial, intraosteal,intrapelvic, intrapericardiac, intraperitoneal, intrapleural,intraprostatic, intrapulmonary, intrarectal, intrarenal, intraretinal,intraspinal, intrasynovial, intrathoracic, intrauterine, intravesical,intralesional, bolus, vaginal, rectal, buccal, sublingual, intranasal,and transdermal.
 2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the IL-23p19antibody comprises the light chain variable region amino acid sequenceof SEQ ID NO:8 and the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequenceof SEQ ID NO:3.